Iran is plotting an "imminent" revenge strike according to Benjamin Netanyahu, with the Israeli Prime Minister insisting the country is "prepared for any scenario".
Israel has been bracing for possible retaliation for the killing of a senior general and six other Iranian officers in an airstrike on the Iranian embassy compound in Damascus on April 1.
It comes as the head of the US Central Command, General Michael Kurilla, today landed in Israel.
Israel has not said it was responsible for the April 1 attack but Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, earlier today said Israel "must be punished and it shall be" for the attack.
General Michael Kurilla today landed in Israel to discuss Iran and Netanyahu's response
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PM Netanyahu said: "Whoever harms us, we will harm them. We are prepared to meet all of the security needs of the State of Israel, both defensively and offensively.
"We are prepared for any scenario. We are in challenging times. We are in the middle of the war in Gaza which continues in full force.
"At the same time, we continue the non-stop effort to return our hostages, but we are also preparing for scenarios of challenges from other arenas.
"We have established a simple principle: whoever hurts us, gets hurt. We are preparing to meet the security needs of the State of Israel both in defence and in offence."
LATEST FROM THE ISRAEL-GAZA CONFLICT:
A demonstration against Israeli government and the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv
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There have been growing international concerns about the escalation of the conflict, with Russia and Germany urging countries in the Middle East to show restraint.
German airline Lufthansa, one of only two Western carriers flying to Tehran, extended a suspension of its flights to the Iranian capital and Moscow has warned its citizens against travel to the Middle East.
Kremlin spokesperson Dimitry Peskov said: "Right now it's very important for everyone to maintain restraint so as not to lead to a complete destabilisation of the situation in the region, which doesn't exactly shine with stability and predictability."
Germany's foreign minister Annalena Baerbock has been in talks with her Iranian counterpart in Berlin and urged all sides to act responsibly and exercise restraint. She wrote on X: "No one can have an interest in a wider regional escalation."
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock met with her Iranian counterpart in Berlin
Reuters
Israeli foreign minister Israel Katz said: "If Iran attacks from its territory, Israel will respond and attack Iran."
It comes as Israeli forces killed three sons of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in an air strike in Gaza.
However, it has emerged the action was taken without consulting senior commanders or political leaders including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Global calls for a ceasefire have been growing as the war has entered its seventh month but there has been little sign of progress in the talks. At least 33,545 Palestinians have been killed and 76,094 injured in Israel's military offensive on Gaza since October 7, the health ministry said.