Iran carried out secretive military exercises in the western part of the country early Thursday, as US sources suggested that Tehran might rethink launching a multi-front attack on Israel.
US officials observed “less readiness than expected” among Iranian forces.
Iran, along with its allies Hamas and Hezbollah, accuses Israel of assassinating Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh on July 31. The killing was part of a series of targeted attacks on senior Hamas figures during the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip.
Israel has not claimed responsibility for Haniyeh’s death.
News channels linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard confirmed the start of military drills in western Iran on Telegram. They reported a notice warning civilian aircraft to avoid the area.
The exercises, which include long-range missile tests, are expected to continue into Friday. The warnings highlighted potential dangers in certain areas up to 12,000 feet, but details about the drills were scarce.
Iranian media, including the Tasnim and Fars news agencies, did not report the drills. Earlier reports suggested that Iran had moved missiles to western regions, possibly in preparation for a strike on Israel.
Saeed Chalandari, head of Iran’s International Airport in Tehran, denied reports of a warning against entering the airspace of western Iran, but it was not clear if that applied to the entire country.
On Wednesday, Egyptian civil aviation authorities instructed national carriers to avoid Iranian airspace for three hours on Thursday morning, following Tehran's notice about the military drills.
A similar warning was issued on Wednesday.
French President Emmanuel Macron urged Iranian President Masoud Bezeshkian on Wednesday to avoid escalating military tensions in the region and to discourage Iran’s allies from taking destabilizing actions.
Politico reported that the Biden administration pressured Tehran through diplomatic channels, urging Iran to reconsider its plans for a military attack on Israel, especially if Haniyeh’s death was the result of an Israeli operation that did not harm Iranian citizens.
While officials still expect an Iranian response to Haniyeh’s killing, it appears Tehran is rethinking its strategy, and the US no longer expects an imminent attack on Israel.
CNN reported that Iran is still considering its response. A US official noted that while Iran has made some preparations for a possible attack on Israel, not all expected steps have been taken.
Two sources told CNN that Lebanon’s Hezbollah might act independently of Iran in attacking Israel.
Last week, Israel killed the top military commander for Hezbollah, Fuad Shukr, in Lebanon.
One source said the group, which is backed by Iran, is advancing its plans to strike Israel in the coming days without prior warning, moving faster than Iran.
It is unclear whether or how Iran and Hezbollah are coordinating a potential attack. Some officials believe the two sides may not be fully aligned.
White House officials, however, said that while they still expect a response from Iran to Haniyeh’s assassination, intense diplomatic efforts and regional communications may have caused Tehran to reconsider its stance.
