Israeli army chief orders to boost defensive readiness amid Iran tensions

JERUSALEM -- Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir has instructed forces to bolster defensive readiness across the army, a military official said on Wednesday, citing rising tensions in Iran.

"The chief of staff has instructed that defensive readiness be strengthened across all formations," Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Spokesman Effie Defrin wrote in a post on social media X.

He said the IDF is closely monitoring developments in the region and is "prepared defensively and remains on alert for surprise scenarios, if required." He said the protests in Iran are "an internal matter" of Iran.

"In recent days, the chief of staff has been holding regular situation assessments," he said, adding that at this stage, there was no change in defensive guidelines for civilians.

"We are maintaining full monitoring and are prepared for any development," he said, adding that they would provide updates should there be any changes.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson with Israel's Airports Authority said that the country's airports were operating "normally and without any changes," but advised passengers to stay in contact with their airlines due to the current situation.

Demonstrations erupted in late December in several Iranian cities. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to attack Iran if protesters were killed, while Iranian officials warned the country would respond by targeting US and Israeli military bases.