(JNS) Outgoing Defense Minister Benny Gantz said on Tuesday that Israeli opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu would be “level-headed” concerning the possibility of a military strike against Iran.
“We need to prepare for this possibility and we will also need to consider this issue very carefully before implementing it,” he told reporters during a press conference.
“The last time the IDF was at a high level of readiness, I was chief of staff and, as published at the time, it was decided by the prime minister [Benjamin Netanyahu] not to do so. I think that in this context Netanyahu will be level-headed,” he said.
However, he emphasized that Israel did not lack the capability to mount such a strike.
“Israel has the ability to act in Iran and we are committed to continuing to strengthen that,” he said.
Gantz went on to say that Iranian “daring” would likely get a “boost” from its strengthened ties with Russia as a result of the Ukraine war. “It will have an influence on the entire region,” he said.
Regarding Israel’s refusal to supply Ukraine with weapons, Gantz said it wasn’t feasible as Israel doesn’t have the production capacity to meet both its defense needs and that of Ukraine.
“We don’t have a large enough production base. Even if it is decided to change policy, it is not possible for us to empty our air defense systems. Such talks are hot air,” he said.
Report: Israel attacks Iranian convoy in Syria
A convoy believed to be smuggling Iranian weapons crossed the border from Iraq when Israel launched airstrikes in eastern Syria, according to people familiar with the matter, The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.
According to the people familiar with the matter and Iraqi militia members, the attack late Tuesday near Abu Kamal—a Syrian border town frequently used as a transshipment point by militant groups with ties to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps—destroyed several vehicles and killed at least 10 people, including an unknown number of Iranians.
According to an Iraqi official, the tanker convoy was transporting a legal fuel shipment from Iran to Lebanon. However, according to those familiar with the attack, at least some of the vehicles were believed to be carrying weapons and missiles.
