Israeli media: The army is preparing for a possible tension with Iran or Hezbollah

Said Amori, Esat Fırat October 16, 2026 • Update: October 16, 2026 In a report by the Israeli state television channel KAN, it was stated that although there is no concrete intelligence indicating that Iran or Hezbollah intend to launch a potential attack against Israel, the alarm level has been raised due to the fear that the army might escalate into advances on multiple fronts. The report noted that the army is closely monitoring the developments in light of the missile and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) tests conducted by Iran over the past week and described the current situation as "sensitive." An Israeli security official, who did not wish to be identified, told KAN, "We are working so as not to be surprised." Furthermore, it was reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will convene the security cabinet on Thursday evening with the participation of high-level security officials in light of the developments. An informed source stated that the meeting is routine and planned within the framework of the current security tensions. According to KAN's report, it is predicted that Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yisrael Katz, and Chief of General Staff Eyal Zamir's recent threatening statements could lead to miscalculations on the other side. It is stated that this situation has led security agencies to raise their alert level. Israeli Chief of General Staff Eyal Zamir had warned in his statement on October 14th that, "Given the increased warnings on all fronts and the sensitivity of the situation, the possibility of tension escalation has increased." The US's claim of Iranian plans On the other hand, KAN reported to CNN, based on information from the US, that the US military is preparing new plans to target Iran's energy facilities and nuclear sites in case President Donald Trump orders the resumption of conflicts. The report alleged that these plans include the use of a bomb known as "MOAB" (Mother of bombs), which is the most powerful non-nuclear munition in the US arsenal. In a news report published by KAN on October 10th, it was reported that Israel was preparing for a scenario where the war with Iran might resume before the elections, with the option of the Trump administration greenlighting a unilateral Israeli attack among the choices. However, an Israeli official assessed that the possibility of this scenario occurring is low. Meanwhile, Israel's Kanal 12 television reported that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had a telephone conversation with Netanyahu. No information was given about the content of the conversation or the topics discussed, and it was not clarified whether the contact was related to Israel's military preparations or the possibility of tension with Iran. Israeli media alleged that in recent weeks, the administrations in Washington and Tel Aviv have been considering the option of restarting attacks against Iran. In the press, it was reported that Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has the possibility of initiating attacks against Iran, Lebanon, or Gaza before the elections of October 27th.