Report: Israel Warned US: Iranian Missile Drills May Be Cover for Strike

Israeli officials have warned the United States that a missile exercise by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps could be used as cover for an attack on Israel. The concern centers on the possibility that large-scale movements—presented publicly as a drill—could allow Iran to mask preparations for a surprise strike. The warning reflects an atmosphere of heightened caution, with Israeli officials indicating that the margin for error is far smaller than it was before the Hamas invasion on October 7, 2023.

According to the information described, the intelligence collected at this stage points to movements inside Iran, without clear proof that an attack decision has been made. Even so, the situation has been treated as serious enough to prompt close consultation at the highest levels. One Israeli source described a climate in which leaders are unwilling to assume that visible activity is “only an exercise,” even if the likelihood of an actual strike is assessed at under 50 percent. The same source noted that similar warnings were raised around six weeks earlier after missile movements were detected, but that episode ended without any Iranian action.

American intelligence officials have conveyed a more restrained assessment, saying they have not seen indications of an imminent Iranian strike. Still, quiet coordination has continued. IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir spoke with CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper on Saturday, December 20, to communicate Israel’s concerns and to encourage close U.S.–Israeli defensive coordination. Zamir warned that missile activity and other operational movements could be used as cover for a surprise attack, with a focus on ensuring that defensive measures are aligned quickly if the threat picture changes.

(INN/VFI News)

“The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?” – Psalm 27:1