The briefing stated the US may also join any counteroffensive, raising the possibility of confrontation between Iran and the US
Middle East crisis – live updates
The US may intervene to help Israel defend itself from an Iranian missile attack on Israel its officials said on Thursday, raising the possibility of a direct confrontation not just between Iran and Israel, but also between Iran and the US.
US officials briefed the Qatar-based broadcaster Al Jazeera that it believes an Iranian attack in reprisal for the Israeli attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus on 1 April is imminent, and will be conducted by Iran itself rather than proxy forces. The Israeli attack killed seven senior military officials, including two generals from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards.