Iran on high alert for potential attacks
US and allies warn of possible retaliation for airstrike
Consulate in Damascus on high alert
Iran is expected to launch an attack as soon as this weekend in retaliation for an April 1 airstrike in Syria that killed several Iranian military personnel, according to US and Israeli intelligence officials. The officials said Iran is planning to target American facilities in Iraq and Syria, as well as Israeli targets.
The US and its allies are sounding an unusually urgent alarm over Iran's possible plans, and have issued a series of warnings to their citizens in the region. The US embassy in Baghdad has ordered all non-essential personnel to leave the country, and the UK has advised its citizens to avoid travel to Iraq and Syria.
The Israeli consulate in Damascus is also on high alert for a potential attack. The consulate, which is next to the main embassy building in the Mezzeh district, has been closed to the public since last week.
The heightened alert comes as tensions between Iran and the US have escalated in recent months. The US has accused Iran of attacking oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman, and of plotting to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the US. Iran has denied the allegations.
The situation in the region is tense, and there is a real possibility of an attack by Iran or its allies. US and Israeli officials are urging their citizens to be vigilant and to take precautions.
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