## Tensions Rise as US President Biden Warns Iran Against Attacking Israel
Amidst escalating tensions, US President Joe Biden has warned Iran against attacking Israel. This comes after an alleged air strike killed top Iranian commanders earlier this month.
Media reports suggest that US officials believe an attack on Israel is imminent. On April 12th, President Biden advised Iran against taking any drastic steps. He emphasized Washington's commitment to defending Israel, stating, "We are devoted to the defense of Israel. We will support Israel. We will help defend Israel and Iran will not succeed."
Several countries, including India, France, Poland, and Russia, have issued travel warnings to their citizens in the region. This follows the ongoing war in Gaza, now in its seventh month. Germany specifically asked its citizens to leave Iran on April 11th.
The warnings stem from concerns about potential retaliation from Iran over an alleged attack on its embassy compound in Damascus last week. This attack killed a senior commander in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps' overseas unit and six other officers.
While Israel has not claimed responsibility for the April 1st airstrike, Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has vowed punishment, stating that Israel "must be punished and shall be" for an operation that was equivalent to an attack on Iranian soil.
Iran possesses missiles capable of directly hitting Israel. In recent weeks, Israel has bolstered its air defenses to intercept rockets fired by Hamas from Gaza and Hezbollah from Lebanon.
Thousands of civilians have fled their homes on both sides of the border. The Israeli military has called back reservists in preparation for any escalation along its northern border, where it exchanges fire almost daily with Hezbollah.
On April 12th, Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Lebanese militia, fired a barrage of missiles towards northern Israel. The Israel Defense Forces reported approximately 40 rockets fired from Lebanon.
Hezbollah has been attacking Israeli communities and military posts along the border on a near-daily basis since October 8th, 2023, following the Hamas massacre that killed 1,200 people.
The death toll in the prolonged war has surged to more than 30,000, according to Palestinian health officials.