Iran has put its defence systems around its nuclear sites on high alert amid fears of an attack by Israel and the US, says a new report.
According to two high-level government sources, the Islamic republic has also been bolstering defences around key nuclear and missile sites, which include the deployment of additional air defence system launchers, British newspaper The Telegraph reported yesterday.
Officials say the measures are in response to growing concerns of potential joint military action by Israel and the United States.
It follows warnings from US intelligence to both the Biden and Trump administrations that Israel would likely target key Iranian nuclear sites this year.
“They (Iranian authorities) are just waiting for the attack and are anticipating it every night and everything has been on high alert – even in sites that no one knows about,” one source told the newspaper. “Work to fortify nuclear sites has been ongoing for years but it has intensified over the past year, particularly since Israel launched the first attack,” he added.
“Recent developments, including Donald Trump’s comments and reports about potential plans from his administration to strike Iran, have further intensified activities.”
Israel and Iran have been engaged in a long shadow war, mainly between Israel and the Islamic Republic’s proxies.
Since the war in Gaza began in 2023, both sides have carried out daring attacks on each other.
Israel’s victories over Iran’s proxy networks such as Hamas and Hizbollah, the fall of Bashar Al Assad the Syrian president who was Tehran’s main ally, and regional setbacks have severely weakened the Iranian regime.
The losses have fuelled dissent at home and raised hopes for change.
It has left Iran vulnerable to Trump’s hawkish stance on the country. Since he came to power he has resumed his ‘maximum pressure’ campaign on Iran, including efforts to stop it from obtaining nuclear weapons by driving its oil exports down to zero.
On Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said with Trump’s support, his government would ‘finish the job’ with Iran.
Analysts say it is unlikely Israel would be able to destroy Iran’s nuclear programme without receiving help from the United States.
In October last year, Iran launched unprecedented strikes involving 200 missiles on Israel, which retaliated with air strikes. Iran now fears that with the support of Trump, who has advocated for Israel to hit Iran’s nuclear facilities, an Israeli attack is imminent.
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