Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared on Monday that Israel is fully aware of Iran’s ongoing military exercises. “We are aware that Iran is conducting military exercises,” he stated. “We are monitoring this and making the necessary preparations. I want to make it clear to Iran – any action against Israel will be met with a very harsh response.”

The remarks heighten concerns that another conflict could erupt between the two rivals due to miscalculation or the belief that the other is preparing an imminent assault.

According to Axios, Israel alerted the Trump administration over the weekend that Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps missile drills could represent preparations for an attack on Israel.

“The chances for an Iranian attack are less than 50 percent, but nobody is willing to take the risk and just say it is only an exercise,” an Israeli source was quoted by the news site as saying.

WW3 danger

The danger of another war erupting between the two nations due to miscommunication or the assessment that the other is readying an immediate strike remains elevated.

Netanyahu is expected to seek President Donald Trump’s backing for an Israeli offensive against Iran’s missile capabilities before Tehran can accomplish its declared objectives.

Nevertheless, this time round, should another conflict commence, the U.S. may lack the capability to back Israel in the manner it did last June. Escalating tensions surrounding Venezuela could mean that America’s resources are focused elsewhere.

Nuclear raid

In June, Israel initiated an assault on Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programmes, citing an immediate and existential threat.

This led to 12 days of airstrikes that resulted in over 1,000 fatalities, as per Iranian officials.

In response, Iran launched more than 500 ballistic missiles and approximately 1,100 drones at Israel, causing around 32 deaths and injuring over 3,000 people in Israel, according to health officials.

Iran does not know the risks

The U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, stated on Monday that Iran seems not to have fully grasped the message of the U.S. strike on the Iranian nuclear facility during the 12-day conflict last June.

“I don’t know that (Iran) ever took (US President Donald Trump) seriously until the night that the B-2 bombers went to Fordow,” Huckabee said.

“I hope they got the message, but apparently they didn’t get the full message because, as you mentioned, they appear to be trying to reconstitute and find a new way to dig the hole deeper and secure it more.”