IDF chief says Israel accelerating Iran strike plans, acting throughout Mideast
Times of Israel - Israel has “greatly accelerated” preparations for action against Iran’s nuclear program, army chief Aviv Kohavi said in an interview published Monday.
Kohav told Walla news that “a significant chunk of the boost to the defense budget, as was recently agreed, was intended for this purpose. It’s a very complicated job, with much more intelligence, much more operational capabilities, much more armaments. We’re working on all these things.”
The head of the Israel Defense Forces said the military’s current main objective is “minimizing Iranian presence in the Middle East, with an emphasis on Syria…but these operations take place throughout the Middle East. They’re also against Hamas, against Hezbollah.”
Kohavi said Israeli strikes and other operations had “greatly diminished Iran’s presence and weaponry in the northern arena, certainly in comparison to what they sought.” He said the army was “very active in disrupting the smuggling routes of Hezbollah, of Hamas, of Iran, in all regions.”
“The State of Israel has the means to act and will not hesitate to do so. I do not rule out the possibility that Israel will have to take action in the future in order to prevent a nuclear Iran.”
The IDF “is operating at much greater depths, at 360 degrees throughout all the Middle East. It doesn’t wait for the threat to come. It prepares, it meets [the threat] head-on, neutralizes it, roots it out.”
Defense Minister Benny Gantz also issued threats against Iran last month, telling foreign diplomats that Israel may have to take military action against Iran.
They may want to commit suicide for fear of death: Army chief on Israeli ‘Iran strike plans’
“It looks like the heads of the Zionist regime have sensed the speed with which their lives are waning,” Chief Commander of Iran's Army, Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi said on Wednesday.
“Maybe, they want to commit suicide for fear of death,” he added.
The comments came a day after an Israeli official, Aviv Kohavi, alleged in an interview that the regime had “greatly accelerated” preparations for action against Iran’s nuclear energy program. He also purported that the regime had “greatly diminished Iran’s presence” to the north of the occupied territories.
Mousavi continued, “They (the Zionists) have many areas of vulnerability,” adding, “They have so far experienced many heavy defeats.”
By suggesting suicidal tendencies on the part of the regime’s officials, the commander was echoing repeated remarks by the Iranian military top brass and other senior figures that the regime must be contemplating its own demise if it entertained even the thought of attacking the Islamic Republic.
Tel Aviv’s claim of being able to reduce the Iranian presence in the region also comes while the Islamic Republic has been maintaining a robust military advisory campaign throughout the region, especially in Iraq and Syria.
