The Israel-Iran conflict remains in focus after Israel's defence minister said the mission against Iran is not finished. Speaking on Sunday, Defence Minister Israel Katz said 'the mission is still not complete' and repeated Israel's charge that Iran is trying to renew its efforts to obtain nuclear weapons. Tehran denies that it is pursuing nuclear weapons.
Katz's remarks signal that Israel does not regard its confrontation with Iran as over. He said Iran, which has been attacked twice since last year in major Israeli-US bombing campaigns, is pursuing efforts that place the State of Israel in real danger. No new strike was announced in the remarks.
Katz's warning to Hezbollah
Katz also warned Hezbollah, the Lebanon-based armed group, to hold fire if the war resumes. He said that if Hezbollah chooses to join Iran in an attack on Israel, it 'will suffer extremely severe blows'. He added that Israel will not withdraw from security zones in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria.
The remarks came at a ceremony for Israeli troops who died in a 1956 attack on Egypt. There, Katz said that when the security of the state is at stake, Israelis 'must know how to rise above our disputes'.
Political pressure in Israel and the United States
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is fighting for his political life, has repeatedly threatened new strikes against Iran in recent weeks. He lost ground in the October 27 election, and his rival Gadi Eisenkot has been tasked with forming a new government. Eisenkot, a former army chief, has warned that Netanyahu has no mandate and should not go to war for his 'political needs', although he has largely backed Netanyahu's war decisions.
It remains unclear whether Netanyahu has the support of US President Donald Trump, his close ally. Voters delivered a major rebuke to Trump in elections on Tuesday, partly over anger at the war. An Israeli news report said on Friday that Netanyahu and Mossad, Israel's intelligence service, attempted an operation against Iran on the eve of the October 27 election, but that the United States found out and stopped it. That is a media report, and no Israeli official is quoted confirming it.
Timeline: what has happened so far
- Since last year: Iran has been attacked twice in major Israeli-US bombing campaigns.
- October 27: Israel holds an election in which Netanyahu suffers losses, and Gadi Eisenkot is tasked with forming a new government.
- Friday: an Israeli news report says Netanyahu and Mossad tried an operation against Iran on the eve of the election, and the US stopped it.
- Sunday: Katz says 'the mission is still not complete' and warns Hezbollah to hold fire.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Israel ke defence minister Israel Katz ne itwaar ko kaha ke Iran ke khilaaf mission abhi mukammal nahi hua. Unhon ne dobara ilzaam lagaya ke Iran nuclear hathiyar hasil karne ki koshish kar raha hai, jise Tehran rad karta hai. Unhon ne Hezbollah ko khabardar kiya ke agar woh jang mein shamil hua to use sakht nuqsan uthana parega. Pakistan par is ka seedha asar abhi wazeh nahi hai, is liye taaza halat par nazar rakhna munasib hai.
