Israeli is already in a “multi-front war” with Iran and its proxies, according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
He made the comments at a Cabinet meeting on Sunday as the US and allies prepare to defend Israel from an expected counterstrike and prevent an even more destructive regional conflict.
“Anyone who harms our country will be held accountable,” Netanyahu said at a state memorial ceremony in Jerusalem, “Iran and its proxies seek to surround us with a stranglehold of terror on seven fronts.”
Tensions have soared following nearly 10 months of war in Gaza and the killing last week of a senior Hezbollah commander in Lebanon and Hamas' top political leader in Iran.
Iran and its allies have blamed Israel and threatened retaliation.
In Israel, some prepared bomb shelters and recalled Iran's unprecedented direct military assault in April following a suspected Israeli strike that killed two Iranian generals.
Israel said almost all the drones and ballistic and cruise missiles in that attack were intercepted.
Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas have vowed to avenge the killings.
As the situation in the Middle East becomes more tense, many Western airlines cancelled or suspended flights to Israel and Lebanon.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged French nationals “to make arrangements now to leave Lebanon as soon as possible.”
