The Israeli Military Suspends Leave For All Its Combat Units, Prepares To Anticipate Iran's Counterattack?

Israeli military land operations in Gaza. (Source: Israel Defense Forces)

JAKARTA - The Israeli military granted leave for all of its combat units on Thursday, it said in a statement, amid concerns over a possible escalation of violence following the killings of Iranian generals in Damascus this week that drew the threat of retaliation.

"In accordance with the assessment of the situation, it has been decided that leave will be temporarily suspended for all IDF combat units (Israel Defense Forces). The IDF is at war and deployment of troops is under continuous assessment as needed," the military said in a statement. a statement, reported CNN April 4.

Citing The Times of Israel, this move comes amid increasing vigilance in Israel over a possible Iranian response to the alleged Israeli assassination of two of the IRGC's top commanders along with five other IRGC officers in Syria.

Last night, the IDF said it was raising air defenses and calling on the reserve forces, after conducting an assessment.

Iran and Syria accused Israel of bombing its embassy complex in Syria on Monday, which killed at least seven Tehran military officials, including Brigadier General Mohammed Reza Zahedi, a top official at the Iranian Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) and senior commander Mohammad Hadi Haji Rahimi.

President Ebrahim Raisi said on Tuesday Iran would retaliate against the airstrikes.

On the other hand, the Israeli military told CNN that they did not comment on foreign reports, but a military spokesman said Israel believed the targets being targeted were "the military buildup of Quds troops," an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps unit responsible for foreign operations.

"I repeat, this is not a consulate and this is not an embassy. This is a military building of Quds troops posing as a civilian building in Damascus," said Rear Admiral Daniel