Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Nov 8: Even as the Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is fighting a political war in his country for survival, the Israeli defence minister Israel Katz on Sunday cautioned that Israel was not yet finished with Iran and also warned Tehran’s Lebanese ally Hezbollah to hold fire in any resumption of war.
Renewing charges that Iran — attacked twice since last year in major Israeli-U.S. bombing campaigns — was pursuing nuclear weapons, a claim that Tehran denies, Mr Katz said, “Concerning Iran, the mission is still not complete. Iran is trying to renew its efforts to obtain nuclear weapons — alongside other grave efforts that place the State of Israel in real danger.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is fighting for his political life, has repeatedly threatened new strikes against Iran in recent weeks. But it remains unclear if he has the support of U.S. President Donald Trump, his close ally, who suffered a major rebuke from voters in elections on November 3 in part over anger against the war against Iran.
According to a report by Israel’s Channel 12, Netanyahu and Mossad head Roman Gofman had planned to launch an operation against the Iranians on the eve of the October 27 election in Israel but it was halted after the US found out about it. Later, Netanyahu’s office rejected the report. “The prime minister himself clarified in real time that an attack before the Israeli elections was not on the agenda,” the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said in a statement.
Mr Netanyahu has ordered a multi-nation war since the unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, by Hamas, the Palestinian militant group in Gaza backed by Iran’s clerical state. Israel has devastated Gaza and has invaded Lebanon, after Hezbollah fired on Israel in solidarity with Iran. Israel has also moved past a former ceasefire line to occupy part of historic adversary Syria after the fall in 2024 of long-time leader Bashar al-Assad. “We will not withdraw from the security zones in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria, and if the terrorist organisation Hezbollah chooses to join Iran in an attack on Israel, it will suffer extremely severe blows,” Mr Katz said.
Mr Netanyahu suffered losses in the October 27 election, with his rival Gadi Eisenkot tasked with forming a new government. Eisenkot has warned Israel’s military that Mr Netanyahu has no mandate and that it should not go to war for his “political needs” although the former army chief has largely supported Mr Netanyahu’s war decisions.
“We may argue, and we may disagree, but when the security of the state is at stake, we must know how to rise above our disputes,” said Mr Katz, who was speaking at a ceremony for Israeli troops who died in a 1956 attack on Egypt.
Meanwhile, Trump recently held two meetings with his national security team this week, holding deliberations on whether to resume strikes on Iran at the White House on Wednesday and Thursday. During the meeting, Trump was reportedly told by officials that November 9, which marks a new Moon in the West Asia, could be a suitable day to re-launch the strike as there would be “little moonlight,” which could favour military operations. However, the proposal was halted.
Trump has repeatedly threatened Iran to come to the table for talks, but Tehran has emphasised that the peace deal could not be finalised until Washington accepts all seven of its demands, including removing the blockade, lifting all sanctions and unfreezing Iranians assets.