Israel Prepares for Possible Iranian Missile Fire in Coming Hours

Israeli security officials on Sunday evening were preparing for the possibility of an Iranian missile barrage toward Israel in the next few hours, following an earlier IDF strike in Beirut’s Dahieh district against a Hezbollah command center. Arab media reported that the person killed in Dahieh was senior Hezbollah figure Ali al-Hajj.

In a situation assessment, IDF Chief of Staff Eyal said, “Lebanon is our main center of gravity, but we are also preparing for developments in other arenas.” In an unusual statement, the IDF spokesman said the chief of staff was holding continuous assessments with all relevant commanders and that, according to the army’s current evaluation, it was preparing for the possibility of fire toward Israeli territory.

The military said its forces remained at “readiness and alertness for a range of scenarios in defense and attack,” amid rising tension with Iran and Hezbollah after the Beirut strike. The IDF also urged the public to remain vigilant, act responsibly, and follow Home Front Command instructions.

At present, there has been no change in civilian instructions, but the army said any changes would be announced immediately if needed. The Israeli preparations came after Iran and Hezbollah issued threatening messages in response to the Dahieh operation, with Tehran saying, “the crime will not go unanswered.” The IDF said it “will not accept fire toward the territory of the State of Israel” and is ready to respond forcefully to any scenario.