Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz declared that “Iran’s aggression in the region generally and on the maritime front, in particular, is intensifying… This is the exact reason that we must act right now against Iran, which not only strives for a nuclear military [program] but also is leading to a dangerous arms race and the crumbling of stability in the Middle East”. He further warned that under the incoming Raisi administration, Iran would “be more dangerous to the world than it has been so far, more destructive to the region than it has been so far, and will strive to become an existential threat to Israel”. “We will act to remove any such threat”, Gantz asserted. “We will hold accountable anyone who seeks to harm us, in the time, place and methods that serve us and our security”. He also argued that “any agreement with Iran must also address the removal of its threat to the region, and its harm to innocent people and the world economy”.