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Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz on Monday warned that Israel could be at war with Iran "tomorrow" if Tehran launches missiles at Israeli territory,
saying he has instructed the military to prepare for an independent Israeli strike if necessary. Speaking to military and diplomatic reporters on Monday, Katz said Israel did not want to undermine US President Donald Trump's diplomatic efforts with Iran but would respond forcefully to any attack. "If Iran fires missiles at Israel, Israel will strike Iran with force," Katz said. "There is no equation we will accept in which Iran fires at Israel. This has also been made clear to the Americans. The IDF is just waiting for it and is on alert. There are targets."
'Two scenarios' for Renewed War
Katz said he believed there were two possible scenarios under which fighting with Iran could resume. "One is that Trump decides the negotiations have run their course and wants to go back to striking, and the second is that Iran attacks us," he said.
"If Iran attacks, that is the third Iran war. The situation is very clear. There is no reality in which Israel will allow missile fire at its territory without responding with force. It could happen within two days. My directive to the IDF is to prepare for a blue-and-white operation in Iran."
Katz explained that by "blue-and-white" he meant an operation led independently by Israel rather than one dependent on outside forces. "We are preparing for the possibility that Iran will fire at us," he said. "The IDF is prepared both defensively and offensively. The IDF is prepared to repel and attack."
He added: "If necessary, we will put the home front on alert as we did in the last confrontation. We will not hesitate to do so based on the IDF's recommendations. If we see a concrete danger, we will alert the home front and launch an attack."
Katz said Israel supported diplomatic efforts to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons but would act independently if required. "When it comes to defending ourselves, there are no compromises, not in Lebanon and not in Iran," he said.
He added that Iran still possessed missile capabilities but argued Israel had inflicted "huge accomplishments" during previous operations, causing "enormous damage" and eliminating "the head of their extermination program".
Asked about Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, Katz said he was "marked for death". He also described Iranian negotiators as "good merchants" attempting to secure concessions during talks. "We will not allow Iran to produce nuclear weapons. If they do it through an agreement, all the better," he said.
US-Israel Cooperation
Asked whether the United States would join Israel if Iran attacked, Katz said the two countries maintained defensive cooperation. "The defensive partnership with the US exists," he said. "But if Iran attacks, Israel acts with force. That is not conditional on anything." He added: "Trump is a friend of the State of Israel. In his worldview, he knows who the good guys are and who the bad guys are."
Warning to Hezbollah
Turning to Lebanon, Katz said Israel would target Beirut's Dahieh district if Hezbollah launched attacks on Israeli communities. "There was a weekend of fire at our communities," he said. "The prime minister and I believed we should strike Dahieh, and that was not simple because of the Americans."
He added that Israel would not withdraw from areas it currently controls in southern Lebanon. "I suggest people not hold their breath waiting for the area from which Israel will withdraw. It will not happen," he said. "We have no territorial interest in Lebanon."
According to Katz, Hezbollah had suffered significant losses during recent fighting. "More than 300 terrorists were eliminated," he said, adding that the group's leadership had been forced to relocate from Dahieh into Druze and Christian neighbourhoods.
