From the Liveblog of
Sunday, December 22, 2024
Israel’s military leadership ‘recommends attacking Iran’ — TV report
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Almost all of the top brass of Israel’s defense establishment thinks Israel should attack “inside Iranian territory,” Israel’s Channel 12 news reports.
The question of tackling Iran — a possible reference both to efforts to deter the Houthis and to Iran’s nuclear facilities — has also come up repeatedly in meetings of the Israeli security cabinet, according to the report, even as Israel has focused in recent days on ways to counter the upsurge in missile attacks by the Houthis.
The report says Israel assesses that the Houthis took a decision to escalate missile and other attacks, and that their actions against Israel are not always coordinated with Iran or even appreciated by Iran.
Channel 12 quotes unnamed Israeli political and military leaders assessing that Tehran’s leadership thinks Israel may attack it soon, and asserting that the regime leadership is holding frenzied consultations to decide what to do about this.
In a report that it stresses was approved by the military censor, Channel 12 says that at recent meetings of Israel’s political and military leadership, it has been said that the Iranians believe Israel chose to accept a ceasefire in the north in order to free up resources to deal directly with Iran and exact a price from the regime.
Channel 12 says the Israeli sources believe Iran is concerned at the potential for an Israeli attack for three key reasons: because Israel has destroyed Iran’s air defenses in a way that enables access for the IAF; because it accepted the ceasefire in Lebanon; and because of Donald Trump’s election.
Channel 12 also says that in the Israeli leadership discussions, it has been said that Israel must do everything to ensure Iran does not return to Syria or Lebanon.
But the outlet also cites unnamed sources as saying that Israel should avoid a protracted confrontation with Tehran right now since it would not serve Israel’s interests — though Israel must still nurture and advance its operational capabilities regarding Iran.
The Times of Israel Community.