The commander of the Israeli Air Force, Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar, issued orders prohibiting officers and senior enlisted personnel from traveling abroad, according to a military spokesperson.
Announced on Monday, the directive responds to concerns that the Islamic Republic may be planning a major incursion against the Jewish state in retaliation for the assassination of terror leader Ismail Haniyeh last month, which took place while he was staying in an official guesthouse in Tehran.
The new restrictions follow a report the previous day by the Kan news outlet that disclosed instructions by the IDF requesting that all off-duty soldiers on vacation in Azerbaijan or Georgia immediately leave the two countries.
Media sources in Israel report that Jerusalem is preparing for a major reaction from the Iranian regime following the killing of Haniyeh and expects this response to be more substantial than the attack launched by the theocracy in April, which was in retaliation for IDF airstrikes on its diplomatic property in Damascus.
The regional tension has led to increased Western diplomatic efforts to diffuse the situation, caused many airlines to suspend service to the area, and forced the Pentagon to reposition their defensive assets in the Middle East.
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