For the United States, an Iranian missile attack against Israel is “imminent”.

The United States and its allies believe this is imminent large missile or drone attacks from Iran or its allies against military and government targets in Israel, That would mark a significant six-month extension of the conflict in Gaza, according to people familiar with the intelligence.

The possible attack, possibly using high precision missilesThat could happen in the next few days, said the people, who requested anonymity to discuss confidential matters. Is considered more a question of whennot if this will happen, said one of those present, based on the assessments of the American and Israeli secret services.

Brent crude oil, the global benchmark, increased by more than 1% to trade above $90 a barrel following the news. Oil is up 16% this year, supported by the war risk premium since the conflict in the Middle East began on October 7, after the Hamas attack on Israel.

Iran has threatened to attack Israel in retaliation for last week’s attack on a diplomatic compound in the Syrian capital of Damascus. killed senior Iranian military officers. Israel has not explicitly acknowledged being behind that attack, although it has traditionally followed a policy of ambiguity in operations in Syria, Lebanon and elsewhere.

Israel’s Western allies have been told that Israel’s government and military facilities can be attacked, but Civil structures are not expected to be, they said. U.S. officials are helping Israel plan and share intelligence assessments, the people said.

Israel told its allies waits for this attack to happen before launching another ground offensive against Hamas in RafahGaza, although it is unclear when the operation might begin.

American and Western intelligence indicates that an attack by Iran and its proxies may not necessarily come from northern Israel, where Tehran’s ally Hezbollah is located in Lebanon, the people said.

Israeli officials agree with the Allied view. They also publicly threatened Iran that if it hits Israeli soil, Israel will strike Iranian soil.

Last Wednesday, Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei repeated his promise of retaliation against Israel for the attack on Damascus, which he said amounted to an attack on Iranian territory.

Embassies on alert

Foreign diplomatic missions They are already preparing for possible attacksdeveloping contingency plans for evacuation amid requests from Israeli authorities for emergency supplies such as generators and satellite phones, one of the people said, stressing that they were unaware of any Western mission planning an immediate evacuation.

While the United States put pressure on Israel establish a ceasefire in Gazathe Biden administration has also signaled that it stands ready to support the country in the event of an attack by Iran or its proxies.

A significant attack

“We also want to address the Iranian threat at launch a significant attack; are threatening to launch a significant attack against Israel,” President Joe Biden said Wednesday. “As I told Prime Minister Netanyahu, our commitment to the security of Israel against these threats from Iran and its proxies it’s iron. Let me say it again, firmly: do everything we can to protect Israel’s security.”

It is not yet clear whether this is a possible attack by Iran and its proxies would turn the conflict into a larger, more prolonged war or remain contained, one of the people said. An Iranian attack directed against an Israeli city it would be the first and would significantly intensify hostilities. Last week, Israel scrambled navigation signals over the Tel Aviv metropolitan area in preparation for a possible attack.

Israeli embassies were also considered targets of possible attacks following last week’s attack in Damascus several missions around the world closed.

Iran’s main proxy group It’s Hezbollah, which is based in southern Lebanon and has clashed with Israeli forces almost every day since the war broke out in Gaza in October. Since the war began, tens of thousands of people have been evacuated from northern Israel and southern Lebanon.