Israel has announced that its military has been put on full alert and school trips have been banned due to concerns that Iran will launch attacks in the country.

Other youth events planned for the start of Passover in the coming days were also canceled due to possible attacks from Iran.

Israeli Defense Minister Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari announced the measures in a televised briefing and said Israel was “closely monitoring” attack plans by Iran and its allies in the region.

Hagari said dozens of fighter jets were in the air as part of combat readiness and urged Israelis to heed any orders that may be issued by the military’s Home Front Command (HFC).

The HFC, which tracks air threats such as incoming missiles and lets the public know whether to avoid them, has also banned educational events nationwide and limited gatherings in open spaces to 1,000 people.

Earlier, Iranian Revolutionary Guard commandos seized a ship in the Strait of Hormuz near the United Arab Emirates today. Iranian state media claimed that the ship “had ties to Israel” and could pose a threat to Iran’s security.

Tensions between Israel and Iran have increased since an Israeli attack destroyed the Iranian consulate in Damascus, Syria, on April 1.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said this week that the attack would be a “legitimate defense to punish the aggressor” over the consulate bombing.

Mr Hagari and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke today on the threat of Iranian attacks on Israel.

The Pentagon said the two discussed “pressing regional threats” and the United States’ “unwavering support.”

“Secretary Austin made clear that Israel can rely on the full support of the United States to protect Israel from any attacks by Iran and its regional proxies,” it said in a statement.

Yesterday, Mr Hagari said Israel was “on alert and fully prepared for all scenarios and we are constantly assessing the situation”.

He added: “We are ready to use the full range of capabilities the IDF possesses for attack and defense and are prepared together with our strategic partners.”

On Saturday, U.S. President Joe Biden’s national security adviser Jake Sullivan said he had a phone call with Israeli President Chachi Hanegbi to reaffirm the U.S.’s “strong commitment to Israel’s security.”

The White House also revealed that Biden will cut short his weekend trip to Delaware and return to Washington today to consult with his national security team on events in the Middle East.

Biden told a news conference on Friday that the United States was “committed” to defending Israel and that “Iran will not succeed.”

When asked what his message to Iran was, the president’s only response was: “No.”

Asked how imminent an Iranian attack on Israel was, Biden also said he did not want to reveal security information, adding, “But my expectation is that sooner or later it will happen.”

The United States and its allies have sent direct messages to Tehran warning against further escalation of the conflict.

During the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, Israeli forces and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group have engaged in near-daily fighting along the Israeli-Lebanese border.

Since the war began on Oct. 7, U.S. officials have documented more than 150 attacks by Iranian-backed militias in Iraq and Syria on U.S. military bases in those countries.

The UK Maritime Trade Organization (UKMTO) said on Saturday that a vessel was seized by “regional authorities” 50 nautical miles northeast of the United Arab Emirates port of Fujairah.

British maritime security company Ambrey also reported a “boarding” incident at the same location.

It was unclear which authority the UK trade group was referring to, but Iranian state media acknowledged that paramilitary Revolutionary Guard commandos had seized a cargo ship, claiming it had “links to Israel” and that the location posed a threat to Iranian security .

British Defense Secretary Grant Shapps called the seizure of a ship “unacceptable” and a “blatant breach of international law.”

He also condemned Iran’s actions and called for the “immediate and unconditional release of the ship and its crew.”

Shapps added that the administration is working with partners to prevent escalation in the Middle East, adding that “Iran must immediately cease its destabilizing behavior.”

Additional reporting by Reuters and The Associated Press.