US Military Deploys Vast Arsenal to Middle East as Israelis Mark Solemn Holiday and Brace for Attack

JERUSALEM, Israel – The Israeli military remains on high alert in anticipation of an attack by Hezbollah, Iran, and Tehran's other proxies. One official said the waiting could last for days. In light of the expected attack, the U.S. is deploying an unprecedented array of military assets to the region.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered the guided-missile submarine USS Georgia to the Middle East and ordered the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier group to increase its speed to the region.

Austin talked with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant who told Israel Defense Forces recruits they are ready.    

"You should know this – that whoever will harm us in a way that he has not acted in the past is also likely to get hit by us in a way that we have not acted in the past – and the IDF has a significant and strong capability," Gallant cautioned.

WATCH: US Military Deploys Vast Arsenal to Middle East

Alex Traiman, CEO and Jerusalem bureau chief for JNS.Org told CBN News that if and when Iran and its proxies attack, Israel's response will be forceful.

“I absolutely expect a much more robust Israeli response," Traiman explained, "both because it's expected that the attack of Iran will be larger than the attack in April, and it will be a coordinated attack, an attack that includes Hezbollah to Israel's north and possibly the Houthis in Yemen towards Israel's south."

Traiman added, "So, this is a coordinated attack. While the United States says that they want to de-escalate tensions in the region, tensions in the region could not be higher.”

Hamas escalated those tensions when they refused to join negotiations this week that some hoped would lead to a ceasefire.

In Israel, the tensions are magnified, coming on the eve of Tisha B'Av (the 9th of the month of Av on the Jewish calendar, which begins Monday at sundown). It's one of the most solemn days of the year for Jews. Many fast and remember the calamities that fell on the Jewish people, such as the destruction of the First and Second Jewish Temples, and the sacking of Jerusalem by the Romans.

"So it's a day of major Jewish calamity, in history," Traiman told us. "But, at the end of times, it's supposed to be that the Tisha b' Av becomes a day of joy. And, we know that this war started on, Simha Torah (the end of the Feast of Tabernacles), which is, a major Jewish holiday. and (the Hamas perpetrators) are the enemies of the Jewish people.

He added, "So hopefully, this conflict will be able to turn Tisha from a day of mourning into a day of joy." 

The IDF on Sunday refuted accusations it targeted civilians when it attacked a meeting of Hamas terrorists, including a top Islamic Jihad commander.

IDF Chief Spokesman Daniel Hagari declared, "Early this morning, the IDF conducted a precision strike against the terrorists in one specific building of the compound, an area that – according to our intelligence – no women and children were present."

Hagari continued, "You can see in a video published by us today that the compound is still intact and that there is no significant cratering or damage to the main structure of the compound. This pattern of systematic abuse of schools for military activities by Hamas and Islamic Jihad endangers both Gazans and Israeli civilians. It must be condemned by the international community."

As the Olympic Games closed in Paris Sunday, Israeli athletes celebrated, along with the war-weary nation, their best showing ever, with a total of seven medals.

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