After Iranian interception debris falls in Israel: IDF chief affirms Israel is 'ready to resume combat'

IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir affirmed that Israel is ready for a potential renewed flare-up of fighting with the Iranian regime after Iran’s strikes against U.S. targets across the region for the first time caused missile debris to fall in Israeli territory on Sunday.

“We are closely monitoring developments in Iran and maintaining a high level of readiness. We monitored today’s launch toward the Aqaba area, and our Aerial Defense Array remains on alert to protect Israeli civilians,” Zamir declared.

“We are prepared to immediately resume combat and will act with great determination against anyone who harms us,” he told senior officers while touring the Judea and Samaria Division.

Earlier on Sunday, Israel launched interceptor missiles at fragments caused by the interception of Iranian missiles targeting a U.S. base in Jordanian territory. The Jordanian military said it intercepted three of the missiles, which appeared to be headed toward the area of Aqaba, a city located adjacent to Eilat on the Jordanian side of the border. Another missile fell in a “remote” region and the attack concluded without casualties or damage, the military said.

⚠️A plume of smoke was seen rising near the King Hussein international airport in Aqaba , Jordan, following ballistic missile launches by the Iranian regime terrorists.#Israel #Iran #Jordan pic.twitter.com/0ZqOQQexbI

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The ballistic missiles were reportedly shot down by American air defense systems; however, the IDF launched Iron Dome missiles at the fragments to prevent them from falling into Israeli territory. The Israeli military later said that shrapnel was found in an open area near the city of Eilat, but did not result in any casualties or damage.

The Iranian regime has targeted U.S. bases in multiple countries across the region but has refrained from directly striking Israel so far. Following the strikes near the Israeli border, the military has been on high alert and security officials estimated that more attacks close to Israel could follow, though this hasn’t happened yet.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened a meeting of his Security Cabinet for Monday evening, Israeli media reported.

“We are preparing for every possible scenario and developing immediate operational options as well as strategic ones,” a senior Israeli official told Channel 12 News. “If the Americans decide to escalate or involve Israel, or if the Iranians take action against us, we will be ready.”

Missile interceptions over Aqaba in Jordan seen from Eilat

The IDF reported the launches from Iran toward Jordan. Explosions were heard as a result of the interceptions, but Israel did not activate its warning sirens pic.twitter.com/7Bhmwf2LoD

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Israel’s security establishment sees the likelihood of a new full-scale escalation in the near future as having increased significantly over the past several weeks, according to Channel 12.

The U.S. has continuously redeployed dozens of fighter aircraft and aerial refueling tankers to the Middle East over the past few days. A senior Israeli official said that while Israel is in continuous contact with U.S. President Donald Trump, his actions remain unpredictable.

An Israeli official told The Jerusalem Post that “it appears President Trump is preparing to expand the campaign against Iran. The remaining questions are 'how much' and 'when.' He understands that, barring an unexpected development, the chances of a diplomatic solution is now virtually nonexistent.”

Meanwhile, another official warned that the president has changed course “at the last minute” several times in the past.

Prime Minister Netanyahu on Sunday appeared to hint that he is also prepared for a possible escalation in the coming days. Speaking at a meeting of the Likud Constitution Committee, he said, “I support holding the primaries, but there is a possibility that we could face an exceptional security situation that would make it difficult to hold campaign events. It could coincide with election day or occur beforehand, making it difficult to conduct the vote.”

Oded Eilam, researcher at the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs (JCFA) told Radio LeLo Hafsaka that he believes the regime is deliberately refraining from attacking Israel because “Israel is just waiting for an excuse to return to fighting.”

The former head of the Counterterrorism Division with the Mossad added, “Israel is not expected to join the campaign on its own initiative, nor would it receive American approval to do so.”

Eilam explained that Iran has returned to its negotiating strategy of acting interested in an agreement while letting the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) operate freely. “Time and again, the Americans fall into this trap,” he said.