This is a breaking news story and may be updated…
In the immediate wake of U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement that America is withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal, Israel reportedly carried out airstrikes in Syria and began mobilizing its defense forces over what it claimed were “abnormal movements of Iranian forces.”
While the Israeli army said it fears Iran “is planning to carry out an imminent strike from Syria,” critics were quick to cast serious doubt on this warning and argue it appears that Israel is the one attempting to pick a fight with Iran.
Israel’s airstrikes came just hours after Trump’s speech officially announcing U.S. withdrawal from the nuclear accord, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was quick to applaud as “brave.”
In a tweet shortly after Trump’s announcement, Yousef Munayyer, executive director of the U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights, predicted that “Israel is going to try very hard to goad Iran into an escalation.”
“They have been laying the groundwork for months,” Munayyer wrote.