IDF Warns Israel Must Prepare for Iranian Retaliation Amid US Escalation

Tensions in the Middle East have intensified following recent US military actions against Iran, with the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) assessing that escalating American responses could draw Israel into Iran's retaliatory equations. This development demands that Israel remain ready for both offensive and defensive operations. On July 12, 2026, US President Donald Trump declared in a Fox News interview that US strikes against Iran would continue "until I decide it's enough," emphasizing ongoing military presence despite diminished capabilities. Trump threatened to destroy all of Iran's power stations and bridges unless Tehran returns to negotiations, warning that the worst is yet to come next week.

Simultaneously, missile alerts sounded in Jordan, where the military intercepted three ballistic missiles launched from Iran. Iranian state media reported ongoing exchanges of fire in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran's Revolutionary Guards claimed to have attacked a US base in Bahrain and warned that any US attempts to block regional oil and gas exports via maritime routes could lead to closures of other export routes used by the US and its allies.

US Army Commander Brad Cooper condemned Iran's recent deliberate attacks on civilians, citing assaults on seven commercial ships that resulted in nearly a dozen civilian casualties and dozens of missile and drone strikes against Gulf states. He stressed that the US holds Iran accountable for its aggressive actions endangering innocent lives.

Earlier in the week, reports surfaced that Trump advised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to begin withdrawing Israeli forces from Syria and urged similar moves in Lebanon, according to American and Israeli sources cited by Axios. This backdrop of escalating conflict and diplomatic pressure underscores the precarious security situation facing Israel and the broader region.