The hidden Iranian-Israeli war has moved to a higher degree of frankness, with senior officials on both sides speaking openly about the threat to escalate assassinations and bombings of all kinds.
After Iran published a list of names for Israeli officials who are candidates for assassination, Israeli officials made hints about assassinations and bombings that took place in recent weeks on Iranian soil by Israeli military cells operating from inside Iranian territory.
On Monday, security sources in Tel Aviv said that Israel takes Iranian threats with all seriousness.
Israel has intensified its warnings to its citizens against traveling to Turkey and other countries surrounding Iran.
The caveats come in anticipation of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards attempting to target Israelis abroad to avenge the killing of its Quds Force Col. Sayyad Khudaei, whom Israel accuses of having led the unit responsible for planning assassinations against Israelis abroad.
Khodaei was shot in front of his house in the heart of Tehran on May 22, and his assassination was attributed to Israeli authorities.
For its part, Israel’s National Security Council Counter-Terrorism Bureau released an updated travel warning regarding Israeli visitors to Turkey.
“For several weeks, especially since Iran has accused Israel of the death of a Revolutionary Guards officer last week, there is increasing concern in the security establishment regarding Iranian efforts to attack Israeli targets around the world,” the Bureau said in a statement.
“Therefore, the National Security Council and the security establishment underscore the travel warning to Turkey and reiterate that it is a country that currently has a high level of risk for Israelis,” it explained.
“According to the security establishment, the warning stems from a tangible threat to Israelis in Turkey. There is also a higher threat level in additional countries bordering Iran. Therefore, Israeli citizens should be alert and take care to show all due caution regarding travel to any of these countries,” the statement added.
The Iranian Fars News Agency published a list on Sunday of Israeli businessmen who it claimed have to “live in hiding” due to their being followed by Iranian and pro-Iranian security and intelligence services.
Fars described the listed Israelis as “experts in the field of military, security, defense, cyber and technology of the interim Zionist regime,” adding that they were “involved in sabotage against Islamic countries and the assassination of activists of the Islamic Resistance.”
The publication of the list comes as Iran blames Israel for the assassination of Khudaei and threatens revenge.
