Live Update 
From the Liveblog of
Thursday, July 9, 2026
From the Liveblog of
Thursday, July 9, 2026
Katz: IDF ‘alert and prepared’ to resume campaign in Iran ‘with even greater force’
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleEmanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
Defense Minister Israel Katz speaks at a pilots' graduation ceremony at the Hatzerim Airbase, July 9, 2026. (Screenshot: Israel Defense Forces)
Defense Minister Israel Katz says the IDF is “alert and prepared for the resumption of the campaign” in Iran.
Speaking at a pilots’ graduation ceremony, he says the military is prepared to “regain air superiority and carry out ‘blue-and-white’ [independent Israeli] strikes in Iran to remove threats — even for a third time.”
“If we need to return, we will return with even greater force,” Katz adds.
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