Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has enlisted Russian President Vladimir Putin to convey calming messages to Iran, indicating that Israel does not intend to attack it, Kan 11 News reported on Monday, citing diplomatic sources.
According to the report, the messages were recently delivered to Iran, including through phone conversations between Netanyahu and Putin, amid rising tensions between Jerusalem and Tehran.
The Prime Minister said on Monday, during a Knesset session, that Israel had conveyed a message to Iran stating that if Israel is attacked, “the consequences will be severe."
"[US President Donald] Trump and I will not allow Iran to restore its ballistic missile industry and nuclear program," Netanyahu said during the session.
He added, "We identify with the struggle of the Iranian people. We may be standing at a crucial moment. If we are attacked, the consequences for Iran will be very serious."
Kan 11 News noted that Israel is still concerned over an Iranian miscalculation that could lead Tehran to strike Israel out of concern that it might be attacked first. In recent days, the political and security leadership has held discussions on various security issues, including the Iranian matter.
On Sunday, Iranian television reported that the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) has launched a military exercise involving missile launches and tests of air‑defense systems.
According to the report, the exercise is being conducted in several cities, including Tehran and Shiraz.
Two weeks ago, Barak Ravid of Axios reported that Israeli officials had warned the Trump administration that an IRGC missile exercise could be preparations for an attack on Israel.
A day earlier, Iran International reported that Western intelligence sources had identified “unusual aerial activity" by the IRGC’s Aerospace Force.