On Monday, the head of US Central Command (CENTCOM), Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, met with Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi in Tel Aviv as the two militaries are preparing to defend Israel from an expected Iranian reprisal attack.

Kurilla also met with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, who said the visit from the CENTCOM chief demonstrates strong US support for Israel. “Your arrival in Israel at this time is a direct translation of US support for Israel into action,” Gallant said. “The relationship between Israel and the United States is unshakable.”

Kurilla’s visit came after the US announced the deployment of new warships and warplanes to the Middle East for the purpose of helping defend Israel. It’s unclear when Iran is planning to launch an attack, but it could happen any day. Israel is also considering launching a “preemptive strike,” which would escalate the situation even more.

Also on Monday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry said that Tehran does not seek regional escalation but that it must “punish” Israel for killing Ismail Haniyeh on Iranian soil and that an Iranian response was inevitable.

“Iran seeks to establish stability in the region, but this will only come with punishing the aggressor and creating deterrence against the adventurism of the Zionist regime,” said Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani.

The US has shown strong support for Israel in the wake of the Israeli killing of Haniyeh, immediately pledging to defend Israel from any consequences it might face. US officials claim they seek de-escalation, but US military aid and political support has only emboldened Israel to escalate.

This article was originally featured at Antiwar.com and is republished with permission.