CNN is reporting (because we report what Trump wants us to report, right?) that Iran might be moving to attack Israel.
As soon, but AS SOON as Trump announced withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, Netanyahu's military is reporting "movement" in "Syria," which may or may not be initiated by "Iranian forces." All these are in quotes, because they are all preceded in the report by words such as "potential" and "possible" and "could be."
But hey, let's make sure to get the messaging out there ASAP that there was a good reason for Bibi to hit (back at) Syria, and Trump gave him the perfect opportunity. Since Iran is now furious at Trump and the U.S., what better way to retaliate than to take off the gloves against Israel? Israel HAS TO protect itself!
Don't get me wrong, please. I'm the last one to minimize the danger that faces Israel on a minute-to-minute basis from the countries that surround it, wanting it wiped from the earth. Netanyahu and Trump, however, are hardly the ones to lead Israel to the promised land of safety and peace.
Transcript below.
BARBARA STARR: This situation could be broadening at this hour. I have spoken to several U.S. military officials who say there is growing concern that Iran could be preparing for some sort of attack against Israel. This comes amid all of this escalating tension between the U.S., Iran, and Israel. They can't say at this point what kind of attack, what the intelligence is particularly showing them. But we already know that Israeli authorities, according to news reports, are saying that air raid shelters in the Golan Heights in northern Israel should be made available, that they are seeing concerning signs of Iranian movements potentially inside Syria. What U.S. military officials are telling me right now, they are looking at intelligence that has them worried Iran could be aiming to take a swing at Israel. What they don't know is would it come from Iranian forces already inside Syria? Would it come from Iranian third party affiliates if you will, like Hezbollah in Lebanon? Or would it come from inside Iran itself, which would of course, be a significant escalation? All of this coming as the president withdraws from the Iranian nuclear agreement. And of course they have very good intelligence that what Iran has been doing is shipping weapons into Syria, Israel firing back, bombing some of those weapons sites, and now the escalation amongst all of this may be growing. U.S. military officials at this hour saying they are worried that Iran could be prepared for some sort of strike against Israel.
WOLF BLITZER: Very disturbing developments. Barbara stand by. Orrin Liebermann is in Jerusalem getting Israeli reaction. And Thomas Erdbrink,New York Times bureau chief is in Tehran for us. Orrin first to you. What's the latest you are hearing there from the Israelis?
ORRIN LEIBERMAN: We got a statement from the Israeli military. Israel defense forces saying bomb shelters have been opened up in the Golan Heights. I will read from the statement, they have identification of irregular activity of Iranian forces in Syria. They have opened up bomb shelters and put the military on high alert in the Golan Heights. That exactly echoes what we have heard from Barbara Starr about the assessment there may be some sort of a response soon. It's worth pointing out it's not just in response to the Americans pulling out of the JCPOA, the nuclear deal. It's been Israel's assessment that Iran has been planning some sort of a response for some time now because of strikes on Syrian military bases with Iranian forces that Iran has blamed on Israel.
