On Thursday, Defence Minister Katz said Israel has finished preparing to defend itself and to attack, and has chosen the places it will attack. He says they want to get rid of the Khamenei family and badly damage Iran’s economy.
What Israel said and why it matters
In a video in Hebrew, Katz said Israel’s military is all set for both defending and attacking and knows exactly what to target. He sees this increase in fighting as a way to eliminate the Khamenei family and seriously harm Iran’s economy.
Katz’s statements suggest Israel might move from just trying to discourage Iran to actually launching widespread attacks. He stated that any new period of fighting will be ‘different and much more deadly’ and will focus on Iran’s most vulnerable spots.
Katz outlined the stated objectives in clear terms:
– Resume the war with Iran after US approval
– Target the Khamenei family as regime masterminds
– Strike key energy and power facilities
– Collapse Iran’s economic infrastructure
Ceasefire extension and the road to talks
Donald Trump, the US President, said on Tuesday the ceasefire between the US and Iran, which has been in place since April tth, will continue for an unspecified time to allow for discussion with Tehran. Because of this, it is now uncertain whether new talks in Pakistan will take place.
The situation with the United States and Israel is in its seventh week. It became worse after Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader, was reported to have died on February 28th, which changed the situation in the area.
Signals of renewed escalation
Two days before Katz spoke, news in Israel indicated that a solution wasn’t likely and Israel was preparing to start fighting again when the ceasefire ends. These opinions did not indicate any lessening of conflict in the near future.
Katz warned that a new attack would be much stronger than anything before. He said, “This time, when the fighting starts again, it will be different and deadly”, and the attacks will target Iran’s most important areas and shake the entire Iranian system.
Developments in Tehran and Iran’s leadership
On March 28th, smoke was seen over Tehran when air defenses were used in sections of the city. Officials said they stopped ‘enemies’ and all the city’s defense systems were put on full alert.
Iranian leaders have said Mojtaba Khamenei, the new Supreme Leader of Iran, is still very seriously injured after being attacked earlier in the conflict. He has had a lot of operations on one leg and will need a false limb.
Reports also say he is getting back movement in the areas affected and has burns on his face and lips. Despite being hurt, a report said he ‘is still thinking clearly’.
What to watch next
Now, the big questions are whether Washington will give Katz the go-ahead he asked for, and if the ceasefire will last long enough for the discussions in Pakistan to happen. If fighting restarts, Katz’s promise to hit Iran’s energy and electricity supplies indicates he will target the things that keep Iran’s economy working.
The next few days will show how strong the ceasefire is and how big any renewed attack will be. Both sides are making it clear they are determined to carry on, and the chance of a diplomatic solution is getting smaller.
