Defense Minister Israel Katz said Thursday that Israel is seeing indications Iran's severe economic pressure
By Bernard Moerdler,
Defense Minister Israel Katz said Thursday that Israel is seeing indications Iran's severe economic pressure and fears of an uprising and regime collapse could push Tehran toward "desperate measures," issuing his second warning in two days of a possible Iranian attack.
On Wednesday, Katz said he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were reviewing the situation with the IDF daily, sometimes "in the middle of the night on the red phone," and would not allow Israel to be surprised. According to Ynet, Military Intelligence and the Israeli Air Force have completed preparations for several defensive and offensive scenarios amid renewed US-Iran fighting, although Israeli security officials do not currently believe the sides are heading toward direct confrontation. Netanyahu separately warned Wednesday that Iran has avoided attacking Israel because it understands the consequences, saying such an attack would be "one of their last decisions."
A separate Iranian warning concerns the Ali Taher Ridge in southern Lebanon. Iran warned the United States last month that a full-scale Israeli operation against the ridge would be met with a large-scale Iranian attack, three officials briefed on the message told Reuters. A White House official rejected Reuters' account as inaccurate, while the IDF declined to comment.
The IDF says Hezbollah maintains a strategic underground facility inside the ridge that serves as the command center of its Badr regional division. The IDF also said Hezbollah twice launched explosive drones toward Israeli troops near the ridge during the past week.
Katz warned Thursday that an Iranian attack would "free us from all constraints" and prompt strikes against all Iranian infrastructure, including energy facilities. The US Embassy in Jerusalem separately warned Americans of the potential for unforeseen regional escalation and possible travel disruptions. Cabinet minister Eli Cohen said Home Front Command had issued no special public instructions and advised Israelis to continue planning for the holidays normally.
Topics: Iran, Lebanon & Hezbollah, IDF
Reported by Bernard Moerdler for Bernie News Network. See our editorial standards and corrections policy.