Fears of an imminent Iranian attack on the are intensifying, hour by hour Israel in retaliation for the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniya in Tehran late last month. Reports indicate a difference of opinion between the “moderate” president of Iran, Massoud Pezhezkian, and the “hardline” Revolutionary Guards who wish “attack here and now”clearly tougher than April, however there is another view of the situation.

According to her, Tehran is “playing with time”, but also with the nerves of Israel and the West, wishing for their fatigue, as they will be in a state of constant vigilance. “Iran will choose the time and method of attack… The only thing certain is that there will be an attack” an analyst said, at the same time as it became known that the trip of US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken to the Middle East region was canceled, intensifying the estimations of a direct strike from Iran.

However, in a joint statement issued on Monday, the leaders of the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Italy expressed their support for Israel in the event of an attack by Iran, and called on Tehran “to abandon its ongoing its threats of military attack against Israel”.

But Iran on Tuesday flatly rejected Western calls to back down as a “matter of honour” for it.

“Such a request lacks political logic, goes against the principles and rules of international law and constitutes public and practical support for Israel,” said Nasser Kanaani, a spokesman for Iran’s foreign ministry, according to state news agency IRNA.

On Tuesday, however, leaks from Tehran sent a message to Tel Aviv, arguing that the only way to avoid an attack is to agree a ceasefire in Gaza. The field, however, remains extremely murky, as data is changing very quickly, both on one side and on the other.

On Monday, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby noted that the Iranian attack “could happen maybe and within the week”but that it was “difficult to ascertain” how this attack would be carried out.

“We need to be prepared for a significant series of attacks,” Kirby warned, speaking to reporters.

During a phone conversation with the Iranian president on Monday night, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer urged him not to attack Israel, telling him that war was “in nobody’s interest.”

Starmer warned Pezeskian that there was “serious risk of wrongdoing calculations,” and called on Iran to “refrain from attacking Israel,” according to the conversation released to the U.K.

The call came after the Israeli army was put into alarm status on Monday night about a possible Iranian attack that could spark a wider regional war. Israeli forces are already fighting Iranian-sponsored militants, namely Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Hezbollah near the Lebanese border, and the Houthis in Yemen.

Several European countries have urged their citizens to leave Lebanon amid fears that Hezbollah could play a key role in Tehran’s retaliation and trigger a severe response from Israel.