JAKARTA - Israel says it will implement "new rules" to protect its citizens abroad and its national security, after alleged Iranian plots against Israeli citizens abroad set off alarm bells.
At Sunday's Cabinet meeting, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett gave the warning, after what he called Iran's attempts to attack Israel in Turkey, as well as at various locations abroad.
"We will continue to attack those who send terrorists. Our new rule is: whoever sends, pays," he stressed, citing fears of an Iranian attack.
Israel regards Iran as its greatest enemy, strongly opposes the 2015 Nuclear Deal between Iran and world powers, which relaxed economic sanctions in exchange for curbs on Iran's nuclear activities.
The deal ran aground when former United States president Donald Trump withdrew his country in 2018. Recent efforts to revive the pact appear to have stalled.
Israel also claims Iran may use its proxy Lebanese movement Hezbollah to draw it into another direct battle. The two sides fought in 2006.
Last week, Israel's military chief of staff Aviv Kochavi told Hezbollah great force would be used in Lebanon if another war broke out with the Iran-backed movement.
"We will carry out a very big attack in the war, but we will warn the population and allow them to leave the area," Kochavi said.
"I say to the Lebanese population: I advise you to leave, not only at the start of the war, but from the very beginning of tensions and before the first shots are fired."
"I advise you to leave the area because the power of the attack will be unimaginable, like you have never seen before," Kochavi said.
On the occasion, PM Bennett also updated his government's warning to Israeli citizens to avoid flying to Turkey, especially Istanbul, for now.
"The State of Israel security services are working to thwart attack attempts before they are launched," Prime Minister Bennett said at a Cabinet meeting.
It is known that Israel issued a travel warning to Turkey last week. According to the Israeli government website, the threat level for Istanbul was raised to Level 4 by the Counter-Terrorism Bureau, which is affiliated with the National Security Council.
Level 4 is the highest and means the security situation is critical. Threat levels are designed to provide a broad indication of the likelihood of a terrorist attack. Security notices exclude flights with connections in Istanbul, as long as Israelis do not leave the airport.
Turkey responded to Israel's security warning last week by assuring the world it is a safe country to visit.
"This trip commemoration is considered to be related to different international developments and motives," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said.
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