Amid uncertainty over potential Iran strike, IDF Northern Command chief says Israel is 'prepared and ready’

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is preparing for Iranian retaliation in the event of a U.S. strike on Iran, Major General Rafi Milo, head of the IDF's Northern Command, said on Sunday. 

"We don't know where it's going. We see the number of American troops in the Gulf, and in the Middle East, and we are ready and preparing for the possibility that the US will decide to attack," Milo said in a recording shared on Channel 12 News. “We understand that it is very possible that this will also affect the State of Israel, and part of the Iranian response will also be here.” 

In a conversation he had over the weekend, Northern Command chief Maj.-Gen. Milo addressed the widespread alert in Israel following the tensions with Iran, as the U.S. military has brought significant military assets into the region over the past week, amid threats by U.S. President Trump to act against the Iranian regime. 

Recent reports indicated that Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei may be hiding in an underground bunker amid fears of a possible U.S. strike aimed at removing the aging leader.

Milo also addresses the question of whether Hezbollah could try to take advantage of the opportunity by attacking Israel. "If something like this happens (an Iranian attack), will Hezbollah join or not? For this scenario, we are very alert, very alert, very strongly prepared both in defense and also preparing offensive components for ourselves. At least for now, this is the main thing we are prepared for.” 

Earlier this month, Raed Berro, a Hezbollah MP in the Lebanese parliament, said that the terror organization would not need to attack Israel in the event of a renewed conflict between the Jewish State and Iran. 

Appearing on the Lebanese channel Red TV, Berro said, “Iran does not need [us].” 

“Last time, the war came to Iran as a surprise,” he stated. He claimed Iran was able to face America, saying, “it needed no one else.” 

Hizbullah MP Raed Berro: Hizbullah Will Not Join the War If Israel Attacks Iran – “The Iranians Do Not Need Anyone to Defend Them” pic.twitter.com/QhJadCHJ20

— MEMRI (@MEMRIReports) January 25, 2026

Asked, “What if Israel attacks Iran? What if a war breaks out?” Berro responded, “Iran will defend itself like any country.” 

“Hezbollah is in Lebanon. The Iranians do not need anyone to defend them,” he stated. 

In a recent message, Hezbollah leader Sheikh Naim Qassem claimed that Hezbollah fighters stopped “75,000 soldiers of the Israeli enemy" from entering Lebanon. However, Qassem stopped short of offering the fiery rhetoric of previous messages, which often spoke of Hezbollah’s willingness to fight Israeli soldiers. 

On Sunday evening, the Israeli cabinet received updates from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and security officials regarding the state of preparedness of the military and civil organizations in the event of a U.S. strike on Iran, according to reports in Hebrew media.

Israel remains on high alert ahead of any potential U.S. strike, with several European airlines already canceling flights to Israel, and Israeli airlines loosening the terms for the cancellation of tickets over the next few days, according to reports in Israeli media.