Israel’s defense establishment is preparing for the possibility that the IDF will need to remain on heightened alert for months amid ongoing tensions with Iran, Channel 12 News reported on Monday.

The assessment is based on the expectation that even if no comprehensive agreement is reached and no full-scale war breaks out, the threat level will remain high.

Defense officials said the primary scenario now being considered is not an all-out war, but rather a prolonged period of security uncertainty. According to the officials, IDF forces will need to maintain varying levels of readiness depending on developments in the region.

“We need to view this as a long-term situation,” military officials said regarding the evolving security reality.

At the same time, the IDF continues to stress the importance of close cooperation with the United States, describing it as a significant strategic asset. Despite the challenges involved in coordinating with Washington, military officials believe the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks.

“We are conducting this campaign together with a superpower, and that serves our interests,” the officials said. “They are still far more of an asset than a burden.”

Meanwhile, senior U.S. officials revealed that President Donald Trump came very close to authorizing a large-scale strike on Iran, but decided to call it off one day before the planned operation after pressure from Qatar and Saudi Arabia, which sought to give diplomacy another opportunity.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)