Israel’s National Security Council (NSC) is warning that Israeli targets abroad could come under attack by the Islamic Republic, which has been issuing new threats of retaliation for the assassination of Iran’s top nuclear scientist.
Iran’s clerical and military rulers have blamed Israel for the killing Dr. Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, who was killed last Friday when he was ambushed on a highway near Tehran and his car sprayed with bullets.
A top adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has pledged to give a “calculated and decisive” response.
Israel has neither confirmed nor denied responsibility. In the past, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu named Fakhrizadeh as the architect of Iran’s nuclear weapons quest.
The top U.S. envoy on Iran Elliott Abrams was cited by Reuters as saying he believed Iran is unlikely to retaliate over the Fakhrizadeh assassination prior to the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden on 20 January, in order to not jeopardize potential future sanctions relief.
The Abrams comment comes in contradiction to the NTC advisory, which warns of possible attempted terror attacks over the upcoming holiday season.
Here as follows is the entire NSC statement obtained by TV7:
National Security Council Counter-Terrorism Division: Increase in the Terrorist Threat Against Israelis Abroad
- In light of the threats that have been made recently by Iranian elements and given the past involvement of Iranian elements in terrorist attacks in various countries, there is concern that Iran will try to act in this manner against Israeli targets.
- Possible arenas for this action are both countries close to Iran (such as Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, the UAE, Bahrain, the Kurdish area in Iraq) as well as throughout the Middle East and Africa.
- Regardless of the foregoing, global jihad organizations, especially Islamic State, and their supporters are demonstrating high motivation to carry out terrorist attacks (pursuant to the attacks that have occurred recently in France, Austria and Germany). Calls have been made by global jihadist elements for attacks on Israelis and Jews. It is possible that part of the current wave of Islamist terrorism will reach targets identified with Israel or Jewish communities, synagogues, kosher restaurants and Jewish museums.
- The Christian holidays that fall in December 2020 and January 2021 are liable to attract hostile terrorist activity in Europe. Against this background, we call on the public which is planning to visit overseas, including official and business delegations, to show heightened awareness (including in proximity to Israeli missions, synagogues and Jewish community institutions), listen to the security directives of the local authorities, keep distant from crowded areas and refrain from congregating in public areas that are not secured or are in proximity to government institutions.
- It is recommended to check – in a timely manner – for travel warnings regarding one’s destination.
Updated travel warnings are on the National Security Council website at https://www.nsc.gov.il/English/Travel-Warnings/Pages/default.aspx