Amid growing tensions with Iran, the Israeli military has declared that it is bolstering its aerial defence system using reserve personnel.

Amid fears of a potential escalation in violence following the death of Iranian generals in Damascus this week that sparked promises of vengeance, the Israeli military stopped leave for all combat troops on Thursday.

“In accordance with the situational assessment, it has been decided that leave will be temporarily paused for all IDF (Israel Defence Forces) combat units,” the military stated in a statement.

“The IDF is at war and the deployment of forces is under continuous assessment according to requirements,” added the statement.

The military announced on Wednesday that it had increased aircraft defences by drafting reservists. On Thursday, Reuters reporters and Tel Aviv locals reported that GPS systems had been interfered with, presumably as a preventative step against guided missiles.

Iran has pledged retaliation for the Monday airstrike that killed two of its generals and five military advisers at an Iranian diplomatic facility in the Syrian capital Damascus.

Most people thought it was an Israeli attack, one of the biggest on Iranian interests in Syria to yet; Israel has neither confirmed nor denied it, and it might escalate tensions in the area even further.

Since the Palestinian Islamist organisation launched an attack, Israel has been pursuing its war on Hamas for the past six months.

Iran may decide to react to the Damascus strike on Friday, the last day of the holy Muslim month of Ramadan and Iranian Quds (Jerusalem) Day, either directly or through a proxy, according to former Israeli intelligence head Amos Yadlin.

“If Iran acts tomorrow, I won’t be shocked. Remain calm. Citing Israel’s aerial defence systems, Yadlin, a Senior Fellow at the Kennedy School’s Belfer Centre at Harvard University, advised against running for the shelters.