Israel tells U.S. Iran missile drill could be cover for an attack

Israeli officials warned the Trump administration over the weekend that an Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps missile exercise could be preparations for a strike on Israel, according to three Israeli and U.S. sources with knowledge of the issue.

Israel's military chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, called the head of U.S. Central Command, Adm. Brad Cooper, on Saturday and told him Israel is concerned by the missile exercise the IRGC started a few days ago, the sources said.

The sources said Zamir told Cooper that recent Iranian missile movements and other operational steps could also be a cover for a surprise attack. Zamir urged U.S. and Israeli forces to coordinate closely on defensive preparations.
Cooper was in Tel Aviv on Sunday and held a meeting with Zamir and top IDF officials to discuss the situation.
The sources said the biggest risk is a war between Israel and Iran will break as a result of a miscalculation with each side thinking the other plans to attack and try to preempt it.