The White House believes that Iran is preparing to attack Israel, according to media reports.

The Biden administration believes Iran is preparing to attack Israel in retaliation for the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran earlier this week, Axios reports. According to two US officials, the Iranians and their allies could take days to coordinate and prepare for an attack on Israel. They suggest Iran's response would be similar to the April 13 attack, but likely larger. The Lebanese Islamic movement Hezbollah could also join in.

The Biden administration is concerned that the current attack will make it harder to assemble the same international and regional coalition of countries that defended Israel from a previous Iranian attack, as Haniyeh's killing has fueled anti-Israel sentiment across the region.

Another U.S. official said the Pentagon and U.S. Central Command were preparing in a similar way to how they prepared for an attack in April. The preparations include deploying U.S. forces in the Persian Gulf, the Eastern Mediterranean and the Red Sea. “We expect a difficult few days,” the official said.