Protesters gather as vehicles burn, amid evolving anti-government unrest, in Tehran, Iran
| Photo Credit:
SOCIAL MEDIA
Israel is on high alert for the
possibility of any U.S. intervention in Iran as authorities
there confront the biggest anti-government protests in years,
according to three Israeli sources with knowledge of the matter.
President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to
intervene in recent days and warned Iran’s rulers against using
force against demonstrators. On Saturday, Trump said the U.S.
stands “ready to help”.
The sources, who were present for Israeli security
consultations over the weekend, did not elaborate on what
Israel’s high-alert footing meant in practice. Israel and Iran
fought a 12-day war in June, in which the U.S. joined Israel in
launching airstrikes.
In a phone call on Saturday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed the
possibility of U.S. intervention in Iran, according to an
Israeli source who was present for the conversation. A U.S.
official confirmed the two men spoke but did not say what topics
they discussed.
Israel has not signalled a desire to intervene in Iran as
protests grip the country, with tensions between the two
arch-foes high over Israeli concerns about Iran’s nuclear and
ballistic missile programmes.
In an interview with the Economist published on Friday,
Netanyahu said there would be horrible consequences for Iran if
it were to attack Israel. Alluding to the protests, he said:
“Everything else, I think we should see what is happening inside
Iran.”
Published on January 11, 2026
