Israel
Expecting an Iranian attack and/or rehearsing civil defense. Warning that an Iranian attack might be imminent, the Israeli government called up reservists in air defense and intelligence specialties, Haaretz reported on 8 May.
Expecting an Iranian attack and/or rehearsing civil defense. Warning that an Iranian attack might be imminent, the Israeli government called up reservists in air defense and intelligence specialties, Haaretz reported on 8 May.
Haaretz also reported that the Israel Defense Forces have ordered civil defense shelters in the Golan Heights opened to citizens. The newspaper opined that Israeli leaders believe that Iran is preparing to retaliate for an Israeli airstrike on an Iranian air base in Syria.
On 8 May, Israeli aircraft attacked targets in Syria within one hour of the US announcement that it withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action nuclear deal with Iran. Nine people, possibly Iranians, died in the attack. That explains the Israeli leadership’s latest concern about possible Iranian retaliation, in addition to the destruction Israeli air attacks have accomplished against Iranian targets in Syria during the past four months.
Reserve callups are genuine war preparations because of the costs to the civil economy of putting civilian specialists in uniform. The Haaretz article described a limited call-up that signifies the threat is from the air.
The localized civil defense measures indicate that Israeli intelligence expects Iranian targets would be on the Golan Heights.
Reserve recalls and civil defense measures reinforce the message that the threat is genuine and requires Israel to pay serious costs to increase readiness.
Iran
Iran will stay in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). On 8 May, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said Iran will stay in the nuclear deal with other signatories. He stressed that that Iran always complies with its commitments.
Rouhani made the remarks shortly after the US President announced his decision to withdraw from the deal.
The other main signatories to the JCPOA have declared that they will remain in the arrangement. Their position provides economic and political incentives for Iran to remain in it at least until the benefits of adherence can be determined.