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Likud MK Moshe Saada said Thursday that Israel appears to be drawing closer to a military strike against Iran, suggesting that an operation could begin as soon as this weekend, as government agencies and municipalities intensified preparations for a possible security escalation.

Speaking during a live interview on Channel 14, Saada addressed the growing tensions with Iran and said military action may be imminent.

During the interview, he said: “We all know that we’re approaching a strike on Iran-perhaps even this weekend. Those are the current assessments.”

As concerns over a potential confrontation mounted, several municipalities announced they were opening public bomb shelters in anticipation of possible developments. At the same time, the Health Ministry said Israel’s healthcare system is fully prepared to respond to any scenario resulting from a deterioration in the security situation.

The ministry stated that it continues to conduct regular situational assessments while closely monitoring events. It also reported that the National Hospitalization Authority met on Thursday to review preparedness measures and ensure that hospitals and the broader healthcare system are ready for any escalation. Coordination with hospitals and health maintenance organizations (HMOs) across the country is ongoing.

The Health Ministry stressed that it remains in close coordination with the Home Front Command, the defense establishment, and all relevant healthcare bodies to guarantee uninterrupted medical treatment and the continued delivery of healthcare services regardless of how events unfold.

Officials added that any new directives or public updates will be released as necessary and urged Israelis to follow only official instructions issued by the authorized authorities.

Israeli intelligence agencies have uncovered and foiled an Iranian plot to smuggle a terrorist cell into Israel to assassinate senior government officials, according to a Mossad announcement made Thursday. The operation was disrupted through a joint effort involving the Mossad, the Shin Bet, and multiple foreign intelligence services.

The Mossad said the attempted operation was orchestrated by Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence, which sought to establish an operational terror cell inside Israel that would ultimately carry out assassinations of high-ranking Israeli officials.

According to a statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office, the plot was stopped through close cooperation between the Mossad, the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency), and intelligence and security agencies from several allied countries.

The Mossad said Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence, together with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), has spent years directing a worldwide terror campaign against Israeli and Jewish targets. The agency noted that those efforts have intensified in recent months, with an increased focus on carrying out attacks within Israel itself.

The intelligence agency further revealed that dozens of terror cells tied to Iran have been dismantled in recent years. It also said investigators have uncovered multiple attempts over the past two years by the Iranian regime to recruit Israeli citizens to perform missions on its behalf.

According to the statement, the terror scheme depended on criminal proxy organizations that recruited individuals who could legally enter Israel, initially to collect intelligence and later to carry out terrorist attacks. International intelligence cooperation ultimately exposed both the network itself and the Iranian intelligence officers directing the operation.

The Mossad identified Thérot Ozkor, who used the alias “Philip” and had been residing in France, as the individual chosen to establish the operational terror cell made up of foreign nationals and facilitate its infiltration into Israel. According to the agency, he was recruited by two criminal intermediaries—Baba Mahu-Zadeh Haji Jafan, known as “Babak,” and Mahmat Nadim Yiğit, known as “Nadim”—both of whom live in Iran and operate under the supervision of Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence.

Investigators determined that “Philip” traveled to Iran on several occasions, where he met directly with his handlers and was paid for advancing the operation. International intelligence efforts also traced Babak and Nadim to senior officials within Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence, identifying their handlers as Asadollah Behzad Oskhari, Vahid Matzoumi, Mohammad-Hossein Zoghi, and Hamid Ghasemi.

According to the Mossad, Behzad Oskhari was a key figure in directing Iranian terrorist operations against Israeli and Jewish targets worldwide. The agency said he was killed during Operation Rising Lion.

The statement also disclosed that French authorities expelled “Philip” because of his involvement in planning the terrorist operation. Meanwhile, Babak and Nadim remain in Iran and continue to be sought by intelligence agencies around the world.

The Mossad and Shin Bet concluded by reaffirming their commitment to working alongside international partners to identify and prevent terrorist and espionage operations targeting Israeli and Jewish interests, both inside Israel and abroad, while pursuing all those responsible.

{Matzav.com}

An Israeli was wounded today in the second stabbing attack to strike Samaria in a single day, as a terrorist stabbed a man near Ganim before being shot dead by Israeli soldiers.

The victim sustained a moderate leg injury in the attack, which occurred near Ganim in northern Samaria on Thursday afternoon. Security forces at the scene neutralized the assailant shortly after the stabbing.

Preliminary findings indicate that the attack took place at a recently established post in the Ganim area, where preparations are underway for the re-establishment of the permanent community in the near future.

Authorities said the terrorist drove to the location during a logistical operation taking place at a nearby outpost. After stabbing the Israeli victim, two soldiers on the scene opened fire, killing the attacker.

The incident marked the second terrorist stabbing in Samaria on Thursday. Earlier in the day, an Israeli was seriously wounded in a stabbing attack at Avraham Farm near Elon Moreh while helping extinguish a fire that had broken out in the area.

President Donald Trump says he is weighing what could become the largest US military strike against Iran to date, warning that Tehran has not yet suffered enough consequences while also threatening severe retaliation if Iran’s Houthi proxies resume attacks on commercial shipping.

Speaking to Axios correspondent Barak Ravid, Trump said he is seriously considering a military operation that would eclipse any previous action taken against Iran.

“I am considering a massive attack. Bigger than ever before. I am close to making a decision. We are all set for it,” Trump said.

Trump also revealed that Israel would participate in the operation if he requested its involvement, though he emphasized that the United States is fully capable of carrying out the strikes on its own without Israeli assistance.

Commenting on renewed efforts to restart negotiations aimed at ending the conflict, Trump dismissed the prospect of diplomacy for now, arguing that the Iranian regime has not “received enough pain yet.”

Earlier in the day, Trump also issued a stern warning that Iran would be held directly accountable if the Houthi terrorist organization resumes attacks on civilian shipping.

“A year ago the United States of America attacked, very powerfully, the Houthis, for their interference with commerce and trade, by shooting at ships. Since that time, and during our conflict with Iran, they have acted very responsibly. Unfortunately, now they are starting up again, shooting at two Saudi Arabian ships last night,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

He concluded with a direct warning to Tehran, making clear that any future Houthi attacks would trigger a military response against both the terrorist group and its Iranian backers.

“Please let this TRUTH serve to represent that if they do this again, the U.S. will hold Iran responsible, in that the Houthis are a Surrogate and/or Proxy of Iran, and major military punishment will be inflicted upon Iran and, of course, the Houthis, themselves, who I am very disappointed with in that they have, until now, acted very professionally and smart,” he said.