As military tensions between the United States and Iran rose again in the Middle East, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a new threat against Iran. Katz said that Iran’s infrastructure and energy facilities would be targeted if Iran attacked Israel.
Speaking at a ceremony held at the Defense Ministry ahead of the Jewish New Year, which begins on September 11, Katz argued that a possible Iranian attack would free Israel from all restrictions.
Katz said Israel would strike all of Iran’s infrastructure, including its energy infrastructure, and threatened to send the country “back to the Stone Age and into darkness.”
Katz also claimed that severe economic pressure in Iran, fears of a collapse of the government and the possibility of a popular uprising could push Tehran to take “desperate steps.” He said Israel was fully prepared for all possibilities, both defensively and offensively.
Katz said the military was capable of carrying out its mission. The Israeli defense minister had also announced a day earlier that Israeli aircraft were ready to act against Iran.
Walla reported on Wednesday that the Israeli military had gone on alert over the possibility of a surprise attack from Iran. The report said the military had prepared response scenarios that could be carried out in coordination with the United States or independently.
Renewed tensions between the United States and Iran
The developments came as military tensions between the United States and Iran rose again at the beginning of September, following a slowdown in the pace of attacks that had lasted for about a month.
U.S. Central Command announced on Tuesday that it had conducted a wave of strikes against targets linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The targets included air defense systems, radars, naval assets and communications facilities.
Iran also carried out missile and drone attacks on sites used by U.S. forces in the region. Tehran said any new U.S. attack would be met with a “much stronger” response and that every location from which attacks against Iran were launched could become a target for its forces.
Washington and Tehran had agreed in June on a framework to reduce tensions, with Qatar and Pakistan acting as mediators. Fighting resumed after disputes over the Strait of Hormuz and reciprocal military operations.
