The US, Israel and Iran embarked on significant military steps Tuesday, May 1, refuting certain US media reports of a lessening in war tensions over Iran: Shortly after Israel launched a big war exercise on its northern borders with Syria and Lebanon, Iran’s border guards initiated naval drills along its southern coast where nuclear facilities, Revolutionary Guards bases and oilfields are situated.  The United States disclosed that the first phase of its anti-Iran missile defense network for protecting Europe was complete.

Three top US emissaries, Sen. John Kerry, Rahm Emanuel and Jeffrey Feltman, are in the Middle East to try and allay war tensions as Lebanon and Syrian play up Israel's homeland missile defense exercise which began Sunday, May 23. As the exercise began, OC Northern Command, Brig. Gady Eisenkott, said: "No party concerned has an interest in another showdown, but the IDF could be ready to fight within hours. [If confronted] Israel could take on both the Syrian-Lebanese front and Gaza."

Israel's security suffered a major setback on the eve of its homeland security exercise (starting Sunday, May 23) from three Obama administration concessions for buying Moscow's backing for UN Security Council sanctions against Iran. it deletes the embargo on such sophisticated weaponry as the Russian S-300 systems sought by Tehran for shooting down any US or Israel warplanes attacking its nuclear sites.
Israel has yet to protest this blow to Washington or Moscow.