A poll by Israel’s 103FM radio has found that close to half of the public (48 per cent) are in favour of a preemptive strike against Iran and Lebanon’s Hezbollah, Al Jazeera reports.

Some 34 percent of Israelis, however, support a strike only if Israel is attacked first, according to the poll.

Since the killing last week of several Hamas and Hezbollah leaders, including Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, Israel has been bracing for an expected retaliatory attack from Iran and its allies.