Security sources said on Friday that the chances of expanding the military confrontation with Iran in the near term have decreased, following a series of meetings and discussions with senior US officials.
According to the officials, US President Donald Trump’s decision to impose another harsh package of economic sanctions is intended to “buy time” until after the US midterm elections.
Accordingly, the IDF will increase its level of preparedness for the worst-case scenario of renewed strikes against Iran across all areas: intelligence, weapons procurement, interceptor production, target bank development, and Air Force readiness for both defensive and offensive operations.
At this stage, it is unclear whether the US will succeed in deterring and forcefully pressuring countries that support the Iranian regime, either directly or indirectly, through oil trade, bank accounts, money transfers, raw materials, and other means. Security officials said that without extreme decisions and aggressive American enforcement, the US president will not achieve the desired outcome.
Meanwhile, the defense establishment fears that without government intervention and a rapid legislative process to increase the budget deficit framework, it will not be possible to carry out rapid procurement of various types of munitions that serve as the foundation for high-intensity warfare, as well as advance procurement of fighter aircraft squadrons and additional advanced weapons systems.
Netanyahu responsible for final decision on Iran war
Additional discussions between the IDF, the Defense Ministry, and the Finance Ministry will take place early next week in order to advance the process.
A security official said that the person ultimately responsible for making the decision on the matter is the prime minister, who must advance legislation in the Knesset before the recess; otherwise, the consequences will be strategic.
Amid Trump’s announcement of economic sanctions against Iran, which he called “D-Day,” the spokesperson for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps sent a sharp message and claimed that if the war resumes, “we will use more destructive weapons.” He added that “the warheads used on Iranian missiles are far more destructive than those used in previous wars. Iran’s weapons will be completely different in every respect if another war breaks out.”