Iran has temporarily cancelled all flights across the country as it braced for a potential retaliatory strike from Israel. The Israel Defense Forces are reportedly planning to respond after Iran launched a barrage of 180 rockets toward Israel on Tuesday.
According to Iranian state media, the country's airspace will remain closed from Sunday 9 p.m. until Monday 6 a.m. local time. However, hours later, flights were allowed to resume. It remains unclear whether Iran grounded the flights on fears of an imminent Israeli attack overnight. The last time Iran enforced similar airspace restrictions was during its rocket strikes on Israel, when fiery streaks lit up the sky during the assault.
Iran on High Alert
Israel has promised retaliation, though the specific target remains unclear. President Joe Biden added some confusion with an unusual remark about targeting oil fields.
The 81-year-old said: "We're in discussion of that. I think that would be a little... anyway."
Axios reported Israeli officials "point to Iran's oil facilities as a likely target, but some say targeted assassinations and taking out Iran's air defence systems are also possibilities."
New satellite photos shared by the hedge fund and news organization Hunterbrook show that, for the first time since November, the anchorage is completely empty.
Kharg Island, located roughly 20 miles west of Iran in the Persian Gulf, is home to an oil terminal responsible for handling 90 percent of Iran's exports.
On Friday, Ayatollah Khamenei led prayers in Tehran with a rifle at his side, delivering a chilling warning to Israel. The leader of the Islamic Republic praised Tuesday's rocket attack on Israel, calling it a "brilliant" move.
"We are neither procrastinating nor hasting in fulfilling our duty [to destroy Israel]," he said.
Israel Has No Plans to Stop
This comes as Israel's continued airstrikes in Lebanon, with a major fire breaking out in Beirut after a strike on Saturday night. Footage shows a massive fireball erupting from an already burning area in the same neighborhood where Hezbollah's leader was recently killed.
Meanwhile, Israeli troops are on high alert, bracing for a potential Hamas attack on the anniversary of October 7.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that they have reinforced their presence along the Gaza border amid concerns that Hamas could launch a barrage of rockets.
The IDF said in a statement: "The Southern Command is prepared in defense and attack for several scenarios during the coming month, along with allowing memorial events in the [Gaza border communities] to be carried out safely."
This comes as Hamas took responsibility for a terrorist attack that occurred at a railway station in Jaffa on Tuesday.
