US General arrives in Middle East with rising tensions with Iran

Shafaq News/ Michael "Erik" Kurilla, the commander of US Central Command, which oversees military operations in the Middle East, arrived in the region on Saturday as preparations intensified for a potential Iranian attack against Israel.

According to Axios, this visit was planned before recent escalations involving Israel, Iran, and Hezbollah, but it comes as tensions mount following the assassinations of senior Hamas and Hezbollah leaders, US officials said.

Gen. Kurilla's visit aims to mobilize an international and regional coalition similar to the one that defended Israel during an attack from Iran on April 13, Axios reported, citing a US official.

Three US and Israeli officials anticipate that Iran could launch an attack on Israel as early as Monday.

Iranian and Hezbollah leaders have pledged retaliation for the deaths of Hezbollah's top military commander, Fuad Shokor, and Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh.

In response, the Pentagon announced on Friday that it is augmenting US forces in the Middle East, including additional warships and fighter jets. Officials expect Iranian retaliation to follow a pattern similar to the April 13 attack but with potentially greater scale, possibly involving Hezbollah in Lebanon.