Israeli official says Iran war may not have been worth launching
A senior Israeli official has questioned whether Israel would have launched its operation against Iran had it known the political consequences in advance amid growing public anger.
"If we had known that these would be the final results of the operation in terms of political habit, it is highly doubtful that we would have embarked on this event," the official was quoted as saying on Israeli channel i24News.
The terms of the deal reached between Iran and the US underline how Israel’s war on Iran has left Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu facing pressure not only from the Islamic Republic, but from inside his own political and security establishment.
Amid sharp Israeli criticism of various government policies regarding the war on Iran, Netanyahu held a press conference on Tuesday where he doubled down on continuing to "neutralise threats in the region".
"For decades, I have been fighting against Iran’s efforts to arm itself with nuclear weapons. I can define it as my life’s mission. I have met this challenge to this day, and I will continue to meet it in the future," he said.
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Netanyahu claimed that Israel destroyed Iranian infrastructure and capabilities worth billions or trillions of dollars, causing "enormous damage to the economy of Iran that took them decades to build".
"But here is the most important thing: we saved the State of Israel from the threat of nuclear annihilation," the Israeli premier added.
"Because, it is crucial to understand, Iran was racing toward a nuclear weapon just before Operation Rising Lion; it was racing toward a nuclear weapon and racing to bury its missile and nuclear industry deep underground," he said, referring to the 12-day war Israel launched against Iran last June.
Netanyahu's cabinet has faced increasing criticism amongst Israeli society, with many angered after Pakistan announced late on Sunday that the US and Iran had reached a peace agreement.
Worry has also spread as military affairs experts have warned of Iran becoming a regional power.
Alon Ben David, a veteran military correspondent of Channel 13 News, said that the emerging deal could be a blow to Israel's standing in the Middle East with far-reaching implications.
"This is a dramatic day for Israel and for generations to come," the Israeli journalist warned, adding the agreement "marks a turning point in the Middle East".
Other military correspondents and economic commentators have raised concerns that a costly and inconclusive war has left Tehran emboldened, while Netanyahu is dealt a strategic defeat.
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