Israeli army halts home leave for combat troops amid growing tension with Iran

JERUSALEM

The Israeli army halted home leave for its combat forces on Thursday amid growing tensions with Iran following this week’s attack on the Iranian Consulate in Syria.

"In accordance with the situational assessment, it has been decided that leave will be temporarily paused for all IDF (army) combat units,” the army said in a statement.

“The IDF is at war and the issue of the deployment of forces is constantly reviewed as needed,” it added.

At least seven members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, including two top generals, were killed in an attack on the Iranian Consulate in Damascus on Monday.

Iran has accused Israel of carrying out the attack and vowed to respond to the deadly strike.

Israel has not officially claimed responsibility for the attack.

According to Israeli media, authorities in Tel Aviv consider the opening of shelters amid Iranian threats of retaliating the attack.

On Wednesday, the Israeli army decided to call up reserve soldiers to its Aerial Defense Array, in a move termed by local media as a precautionary measure against possible retaliatory attacks from Iran.

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala in Istanbul