All Hands on Deck for Israeli Forces Amid Iran's Retaliation Threat

The Israeli military stopped allowing leave for combat units on Thursday due to worries about a potential retaliatory attack by Iran after an airstrike in Damascus killed Iranian generals.

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

"The IDF is at war and the deployment of forces is under continuous assessment according to requirements," it said.

On Wednesday, the military announced it had called up reservists to strengthen aerial defenses.

Iran has vowed retaliation for the deaths of two generals and five military advisers in an airstrike on an Iranian diplomatic site in Damascus on Monday. 

The attack, believed to be Israeli but not confirmed, is seen as a major strike on Iranian targets in Syria, raising regional tensions.

Iran's network of proxies in the region, known as "the axis of resistance," has engaged in skirmishes with Israel and launched attacks on US forces and bases across the Middle East since October.

These actions have heightened concerns of a broader regional conflict.