Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is convening the small security cabinet this evening (Thursday), including several senior ministers and top defense officials, for discussions on the latest developments regarding Iran and Lebanon.
According to a report by Yaron Avraham, Israeli officials estimate that by the beginning of next week the position of U.S. President Donald Trump will become clearer, but emphasize that Israel is nearing a renewal of military action.
According to officials familiar with the details, the Americans are interested in an agreement, but at this stage “there is no one to make it with."
Israeli officials note that the main disagreement centers on two key issues: the removal of enriched nuclear material from Iranian territory and the cessation of uranium enrichment within Iran - issues on which, according to an Israeli official, Iran has shown no flexibility.
Earlier, Defense Minister Israel Katz held a special security assessment at the Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv, attended by IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir and the General Staff forum.
At the conclusion of the discussion, the defense minister delivered a harsh message to the regime in Tehran, making clear that Israel is prepared to move from defense to what he described as a decisive offensive that would bring about the collapse of the foundations of the ayatollah regime.
“Israel is prepared to renew the war against Iran. The IDF is ready in both defense and offense, and the targets have been marked," Katz warned.
"We are waiting for a green light from the United States - first and foremost to complete the elimination of the Khamenei dynasty - the architect of the extermination plan against Israel - and the successors of the successors of the Iranian terror regime’s leadership, and in addition to return Iran to the Dark Ages by blowing up its central energy and electricity facilities and crushing its national economic infrastructure," Katz said. "The terror regime in Iran specializes primarily in the internal repression of the population through the Revolutionary Guards and the Basij, and in energy blackmail through threats to raise global oil prices."
"It is lying on the ropes, its leaders are hiding in tunnels and struggling to communicate and make decisions, its skies are completely exposed, and all of its national infrastructure and strategic facilities are vulnerable to attack - yet it declares that it is winning," he stated. "Because, just like Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza, it does not care about the heavy price paid by the population - only about personal survival, which itself is not guaranteed."
"This time the attack will be different and deadly, and will add devastating blows in the most painful places - on top of the enormous blows the Iranian terror regime has already suffered - blows that will shake and collapse its foundations," the Defense Minister concluded.