A significant portion of Israel’s defense leadership believes that an attack within Iran’s borders is warranted, as reported by Israel’s Channel 12 news. The issue of confronting Iran—likely referring to both the effort to curb the Houthis and Israel’s concerns over Iran’s nuclear program—has been a recurring topic in recent sessions of the Israeli security cabinet, the report claims. Despite this, Israel’s recent focus has been on addressing the rising missile attacks by the Houthis.
According to the report, Israeli officials believe that the Houthis made a deliberate decision to intensify their missile strikes and other assaults. These actions, however, are not always synchronized with Iran, and it is unclear whether Iran even supports them. Channel 12 cites anonymous Israeli political and military sources who suggest that Iran’s leadership anticipates an Israeli strike soon, and that the regime is engaged in urgent consultations to determine their response.
In a report that has been approved by the military censor, Channel 12 reveals that at recent meetings between Israeli political and military leaders, it was noted that Iran perceives Israel’s acceptance of a ceasefire in the north as a strategic move to free up resources for a direct assault on Iran, possibly to punish the regime.
The Israeli sources quoted by Channel 12 believe that Iran is particularly wary of an Israeli strike for three primary reasons: Israel’s successful destruction of Iran’s air defense systems, which allows the Israeli Air Force greater access; Israel’s agreement to a ceasefire in Lebanon; and the election of Donald Trump to the U.S. presidency. Additionally, Israeli officials have stressed in their discussions that it is crucial for Israel to prevent Iran from regaining a foothold in Syria or Lebanon.
However, the report also mentions that certain Israeli sources caution against a prolonged conflict with Tehran at this moment, as it would not align with Israel’s best interests. Still, they emphasize that Israel must continue to enhance and prepare its capabilities for any potential future operations against Iran.
{Matzav.com Israel}