Syrian state media reported renewed Israeli airstrikes against Aleppo International Airport, putting it out of service. Media reports citing unnamed regional intelligence sources indicated that “the attack targeted an underground munitions depot run by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps within the compound of Nairab military airport” nearby.

After a senior Hamas official warned that “the Resistance alliance is prepared… to partake in a regional war, and the active parties are ready and prepared for it”, Prime Minister Netanyahu responded: “Hamas, and the other Iranian proxies, understand very well that we will fight with all means against their attempts to use terrorism against us – in Judea and Samaria, Gaza and everywhere else. Whoever tries to hurt us, whoever finances and organises, whoever dispatches terrorists against Israel – will pay the full price”. Two days later, Hizbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah declared that “no assassination attempt on the Lebanese soil targeting the nationals of Lebanon, Palestine or Iran or other countries would go unanswered”.

The Shin Bet, Israel’s domestic security service, announced the arrest of four Arab Israelis suspected of smuggling “a large number of quality weapons”, including Iranian-made explosives, asserting that “Hizbollah worked to recruit and operate an infrastructure of smugglers in Israel for the purpose of distributing unusual illegal weapons to various parties, including criminal elements”. A senior official contended that “this affair once again illustrates the efforts of terror elements from Hizbollah and Iran to exploit the Arab citizens of Israel for activities against the state”. On August 27, the Israeli military elaborated on a July discovery of arms smuggling from Jordan, indicating that it had included “Iranian-made explosives”.

Prime Minister Netanyahu stated: “We are in the midst of a terrorist onslaught that is being encouraged, directed and financed by Iran and its proxies… We are using means, and we will use yet more, both offensive and defensive, to settle accounts with the murderers and those who dispatch them, near and far”. Defence Minister Yoav Gallant further posited that “the most significant change on the ground is related to Iranian financing and intent. Iran is looking for any way to harm the citizens of Israel. We will take several actions that will restore security to the citizens of Israel... All options are on the table”.

Syrian state media reported that Israeli missiles targeted “some sites in the vicinity of Damascus”, injuring one soldier.

The U.S. sanctioned a Lebanon-based entity that it said had “provided support to and cover for Hezbollah's operations in southern Lebanon along the ‘Blue Line’ between Lebanon and Israel over the last decade while publicly operating under the guise of environmental activism”. The organisation’s leader was also blacklisted.

The Israeli military reported that “a suspect approached the security fence in the area of Metula on the Blue Line with Lebanon... The suspect hurled a Molotov cocktail toward the fence and caused light damage to the indication cable of one of the culverts in the area of the fence”.

Prime Minister Netanyahu contended that “arrangements that do not dismantle Iran’s nuclear infrastructure will not stop its nuclear program and will only provide it with funds that will go to terrorist elements sponsored by Iran”.

During a visit to the border with Lebanon, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant warned Hezbollah’s leadership that in the event “an escalation or conflict develops here, we will return Lebanon to the Stone Age. We will not hesitate to use all our power, and erode every inch of Hezbollah and Lebanon if we have to… Don’t mistake us, we don’t want war, but we are ready to protect our citizens, our soldiers, and our sovereignty”.

Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen indicated that “the Saudis made several demands of the U.S., which, in their view, are key to advancing the normalisation process with Israel. Most of these request concern Iranian aggression and the kingdom’s ability to defend itself against this threat”. He further asserted that “a nuclear-armed Iran is no mere hypothetical threat. If the regime builds a nuclear weapon, it would almost certainly ignite a regional nuclear arms race… The U.S.’s defence commitment acts as South Korea’s deterrent against Northern aggression. A comparable American defence pledge could reassure Middle Eastern nations, primarily Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states”. Cohen also argued that “a united front, bringing together moderate Sunni nations and Israel, would be an effective check on Iran’s growing ambitions”, adding: “This solution is no substitute for the ceaseless efforts of the international community, and of Israel, to prevent the Iranian ayatollah regime from attaining nuclear military capabilities. The way to achieve this is through international economic and diplomatic pressure and a credible military threat that will force the Iranian regime to recalculate its path”.

Prime Minister Netanyahu told a delegation of U.S. lawmakers that “the most important thing is to produce a credible military threat to Iran. The other thing is use it. We don’t want a world in which Iran can threaten New York or Washington or Los Angeles or anything in between with nuclear weapons. Certainly we’re not going to have one in which they could annihilate Israel, which they call a one-bomb country. It's an abhorrent statement but it tells you where they are”. He further asserted that “we will do everything in our power, with or without this or that [nuclear] agreement, to defend ourselves”.

Syrian state media reported that Israeli missile strikes near Damascus had killed four military personnel, injured four others and inflicted material damage.

Israel’s foreign minister asserted that “we are the closest we have ever been to a peace agreement with Saudi Arabia”; the same day Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson reiterated that “we consider any action aimed at recognising the Zionist regime [ie, Israel] and establishing relations with this regime neither in the interest of Palestine’s cause nor peace in the region”.

Israeli media cited Defence Minister Yoav Gallant telling a parliamentary committee about “an increase in Iranian involvement in attempted arms transfers and intelligence gathering in the West Bank”; Gallant reportedly indicated: “Iran and [Palestinian] terrorist organisations have identified Judea and Samaria as a weak spot and direct many resources there for the purpose of attacks… Looking ahead, we intend to erect a barrier on the border with Jordan”.

Hezbollah leader Hasan Nasrallah contended that Israel “is still occupying a part of our land… and over the past weeks it reoccupied a part of the Ghajar village”. He further warned Israel that “the Lebanese resistance movement is fully ready to shoulder responsibilities in defending Lebanon, Palestine and the entire nation”. The following day, Prime Minister Netanyahu reacted to Nasrallah’s threat by saying: “Even Nasrallah knows that it is worth neither his while, nor Lebanon’s, to put us to the test”.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and his Israeli counterpart, Yoav Gallant, “discussed the range of Iran-backed threats to regional security and stability and agreed to continue working together to counter these threats”. The following day, Gallant met the commander of CENTCOM and, according to an Israeli readout, conferred on “progress in the security-military coordination between Israel and the U.S. to prevent military nuclear weapons from Iran” and “the security challenges in the region, focusing on Iranian terrorist activity throughout the Middle East, including funding, training and the transfer of weapons to terrorist organisations in Syria and in Lebanon”.

Addressing the U.S. Congress, President Herzog stressed that “perhaps the greatest challenge Israel and the U.S. face at this time, is the Iranian nuclear program. Let there be no doubt: Iran does not strive to attain nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. Iran is building nuclear capabilities, that pose a threat to the stability of the Middle East and beyond”. He further maintained: “Allowing Iran to become a nuclear threshold state – whether by omission or by diplomatic commission – is unacceptable. The world cannot remain indifferent to the Iranian regime’s call to wipe Israel off the map... Backed by the free world, Israel and the U.S. must act forcefully together to prevent Iran’s fundamental threat to international security”.

Syria state media reported Israeli strikes near Damascus, injuring two soldiers.

President Biden conferred with Prime Minister Netanyahu on, inter alia, “close coordination to counter Iran, including through regular and ongoing joint military exercises”, while highlighting “that U.S.-Israel partnership remains a cornerstone in preventing Iran from ever acquiring a nuclear weapon”. The following day, Biden met with President Herzog in Washington, where the two also discussed “key issues of mutual concern, including enhanced coordination to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon and Iran’s growing defence partnership with Russia”.

The Israeli military said it had fired warning shots and used crowd dispersal methods against a group of individuals who had crossed the Blue Line; Lebanese media indicated that a parliament member and “a number of journalists suffered suffocation injuries after Israeli troops fired smoke grenades at them as they were touring the border”.

The Israeli military announced that “multiple suspects approached the northern security fence with Lebanon in a sabotage attempt. We operated to distance them from the fence”. Media reports citing an unnamed security source indicated that the individuals were Hizbollah members, three of whom “were wounded by Israeli fire near the border”.

Foreign Minister Eli Cohen contended that “Iranian terrorism is a global threat, as we have seen in recent days in Azerbaijan with the attempted attack against the Israeli embassy in Baku, and in recent months in Cyprus and Greece with attempted attacks against Israelis and Jews. Only a joint fight against Iran will bring results and prevent it from continuing to undermine regional stability”. The following day, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant indicated that “in recent years, Iran has been leading a worldwide terror campaign, with unprecedented scope, targeting Israelis and Jews around the world… There have been more than 50 attempted attacks in recent years. Most of them were ready to go, and were foiled at the last moment”.

The Israeli military announced the start on 9 July of “a joint U.S. and Israeli Air Forces exercise… as part of the Juniper Oak joint exercise series”, adding: “The exercise will incorporate a number of scenarios, including long range strategic striking, the achievement of aerial superiority in the region and cyber defense in the face of a variety of threats and challenges”, in addition to “midair refueling using American tanker aircraft”. CENTCOM Commander Kurilla emphasised that “events like the Juniper Oak series demonstrate our commitment to strengthen military-to-military relations throughout the region. These exercises test our forces interoperability in multiple domains to bolster the kinds of firm partnerships we will lean on in times of crisis”.

Azerbaijan’s State Security Service confirmed the arrest of an Afghan citizen, who had traveled “from a foreign country”, on suspicion of planning an attack against a foreign embassy. Media reports identified Israel’s embassy in Baku as the potential target.

Israel’s military confirmed that “a launch was carried out from Lebanese territory and exploded adjacent to the Blue Line in Israeli territory. In response, the IDF… [targeted] the area from which the launch was carried out in Lebanese territory”. The same day, unconfirmed accounts reported an Israeli air strike against targets described as “Iranian advanced arms depots in Damascus”.

The head of Palestinian Islamic Jihad remarked that “there was a great focus in order for the West Bank to move from a state of coexistence and calm to a state of resistance that we see today, and of course, all of this coincides with the directives of [Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei], and during our last meeting with him in Tehran, he renewed the call for that and for the development of work in the West Bank”. He further asserted: “We acknowledge that the Islamic Republic of Iran has provided assistance to the Palestinian resistance, including expertise and training”.

Syrian state media reported Israeli missile strikes against “some sites in the vicinity of Homs”, noting: “air defences repelled the aggression which only caused a material damage”. The Israeli military indicated that “an anti-aircraft rocket was launched from Syria toward Israel…the rocket appears to have exploded in the air over Israeli territory”. It subsequently stated that “in response… IDF fighter jets struck an anti-aircraft battery in Syria. In addition, the fighter jets struck additional targets in the area”.

National Security Advisor Tzachi Hanegbi remarked that “we are not getting closer [to attacking Iran] because the Iranians have stopped, for a while now, they are not enriching uranium to the level that in our view is the red line”. “But it can happen”, he added. “So we are preparing for the moment, if it comes, in which we will have to defend the people of Israel against a fanatic regime that is set on annihilating us and is armed with weapons of mass destruction”.

The Israeli government revealed that “in a counter-terrorist operation on Iranian soil, the Mossad apprehended the head of… a terrorist cell in Cyprus that intended to attack Israeli businesspeople“, adding: “In the wake of the information that he gave to investigators, the cell was dismantled in an operation by the Cypriot security services”. “The uncovering follows a series of arrests in Cyprus last week in which Iranian activity on Cypriot soil was revealed in a continuing effort to carry out terrorist attacks and harm Israelis and Jews around the world”, the statement added, while highlighting: “The Mossad will continue to take determined action to prevent attacks on Jews and Israelis around the world”. The following day, a media outlet close to Iran’s Supreme National Security Council contended that “the Zionist regime [ie, Israel], which is [facing a] deterioration of its domestic situation, has narrated a failed operation from a year ago in Iran where all its agents were arrested in an upside-down manner”.

Prime Minister Netanyahu affirmed that “we are working without respite against the attempts of Iran and its proxies to open terrorist fronts against us – in Syria, Lebanon, Gaza and in Judea and Samaria. We are also working against Iran’s efforts to develop terrorist cells and capabilities in neighbouring countries, which are not countries in conflict with us. We will not allow Iran to establish itself on our borders. We will not allow it to build precision weapons factories in Lebanon and Syria. And, of course, we will not accept Iran’s intentions to develop a nuclear arsenal. Even if an agreement is signed between the U.S. and Iran regarding the latter’s nuclear program, we will not be bound by this agreement”.

Defence Minister Yoav Gallant announced that “a few days ago, an extensive and precedent-setting operation – to expose a route for financing terror with digital currencies – was wrapped up [by Israel]. This is the first incident of this magnitude, in which an infrastructure led by Hizbollah and the Iranian Quds Force that transferred millions of dollars to be used by terror elements was thwarted”. “This time too”, he added, “there is a clear line behind the terror [financing] moves that originate in Iran. Iran is the financier, trainer and spreader of terrorism against Israel and many countries around the world, both directly and through its proxies at the borders”. Gallant further warned that “whoever finances terror, or maintains a financial relationship with terror operatives, must know that he is a target, just like anyone who directs terrorism”.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken conferred with his Israeli counterpart, Eli Cohen, on, inter alia, “efforts to advance Israel’s integration into the region and countering Iran’s destabilising behaviour”; Cohen’s readout noted that the conversation touched on “advancing the fight against a nuclear Iran”.

The Israeli military confirmed that an IDF drone fell in Lebanese territory during what it described as routine activity; Hizbollah claimed credit for downing the drone.

Prime Minister Netanyahu applauded “the thwarting of the Iranian terrorist attack in Cyprus against Israeli targets”, adding: “Israel is using a wide range of methods everywhere in order to defend Jews and Israelis and will continue to act in order to uproot Iranian terrorism wherever it rears its head, including in Iran, the main fomenter of terrorism in the world”.

Foreign Minister Eli Cohen asserted that “the fingerprints of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard are all over the Middle East as well as Asia, Europe and America… Iran undermines global security and threatens the existence of the State of Israel. There is no other country that is threatened by another country’s public calls for its destruction, as it pursues the development of nuclear weapons”. He went on to underscore that Israel would “never allow Iran’s terror regime in Tehran to obtain a nuclear weapon” and contended: “A firm and determined international stance against the extremist Iranian regime, economic and political pressure, as well as a significant and credible military threat can bring about a change in Iranian policy both externally and internally… I call on the countries of the world: Iran is making the world a more dangerous place and is systematically violating human rights. Stop burying your head in the sand, it’s time to act”.

Prime Minister Netanyahu asserted that “the so-called ‘mini-deal’ [reportedly being discussed between Iran and the U.S.] is something that we’re aware of... It is flawed in that it doesn’t set back Iran’s infrastructure, and it does give them a measure of money, which I think they’ll use for bad. But it’s not quite as bad as the first thing [ie, the JCPOA]”. He went on to underscore that “under a big deal, a mini deal or no deal, Israel will retain the freedom of action to defend itself by itself, regardless of any arrangement”.

Defence Minister Yoav Gallant conferred with his Ukrainian counterpart on, inter alia, “the common threat posed by Iran and its influence on the war in Ukraine, as well as its wider global impact”.

Prime Minister Netanyahu asserted that “our first mission is to stop the nuclearisation of Iran. We have made it clear to our American friends… that we oppose the agreements, first of all the original agreement, the JCPOA, which will only pave Iran’s way to a bomb and line its pockets with hundreds of billions of dollars. Our persistent opposition has contributed to the fact that the U.S. is not returning to this agreement. We have also told them that the most limited understandings, what are termed ‘mini-agreements’, do not – in our view – serve the goal and we are opposed to them as well”. “The State of Israel”, Netanyahu asserted, “will do whatever it needs to, with its own means, to defend itself from Iranian aggression both in the nuclear sphere and, of course, through its use of terrorist proxies”.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin met his Israeli counterpart and the two, per a Pentagon readout, “agreed to continue working together to address the wide range of threats posed by Iran, including its nuclear program, destabilising regional activities and proliferation of uncrewed aerial systems and other lethal assistance throughout the Middle East and to Russia”.

Syrian state media reported Israeli missile strikes against “some sites south west of Damascus”, causing “serious injury to a soldier and material damage”.

Prime Minister Netanyahu remarked that “over 90 per cent of our security problems stem from Iran and its proxies, and our policy is aimed at increasing the circle of peace, to stop Iran and its proxies”. He added: “No agreement with Iran will be binding on Israel... Our opposition to a return to the original agreement [ie, JCPOA], I think it is working, but there are still differences of outlook and we do not hide them, also about smaller agreements”.

Prime Minister Netanyahu remarked that “I don’t think that diplomacy [with respect to Iran] by itself will work. I think diplomacy can only work if it's coupled with a credible military threat or the willingness to apply the military option if deterrence fails”. He further contended that “Iran is openly committed to destroying, repeating the Holocaust and destroying the six or seven million Jews of Israel and we're not going to sit by, idly by and let them do it. [If] these Ayatollahs think that they could threaten us with a nuclear holocaust they’re wrong. We will do whatever we need to do to defend ourselves”.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken conferred with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on “regional challenges, such as the threat posed by Iran”, highlighting “the U.S.’s ironclad commitment to Israel’s security”. According to an Israeli readout, Netanyahu “expressed his appreciation for the military and intelligence cooperation between Israel and the U.S., which is at an all-time peak”, while asserting that “returning to the nuclear agreement with Iran won’t stop the Iranian nuclear program and that no arrangement with Iran will obligate Israel, which will do everything to defend itself”.

Defence Minister Yoav Gallant warned that “if Hizbollah makes a mistake and starts a war against Israel, we will hit it hard and return Lebanon to the Stone Age”. “I hear our enemies bragging about various weapon developments”, he added. “For anything like that, we have a better answer – in the air, at sea and on land, in the defensive and offensive efforts”.

Prime Minister Netanyahu contended that “Iran is continuing to lie to the IAEA. The agency’s capitulation to Iranian pressure is a black stain on its record”. Describing Iran’s explanations regarding IAEA safeguards concerns as “technically impossible”, Netanyahu contended: “The IAEA’s ineffectual conduct in the face of these weak excuses conveys a message to Iran's rulers that they need not pay any price whatsoever for their violations, and that they can continue deceiving the international community with their efforts to obtain nuclear weapons. If the IAEA becomes a political organisation, then its oversight activity in Iran is without significance, as will be its reports on Iran’s nuclear activity”. He further warned that “Israel under our leadership, will not stand by. We will strongly uphold our position, both publicly and behind closed doors”. The same day, Netanyahu chaired a security cabinet meeting and asserted “we are committed to acting against the Iranian nuclear program, against missile attacks on the State of Israel and against the possibility of the fronts becoming linked, what we call a multi-front campaign”.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry asserted that “the closure of the Marivan Iranian safeguard case by the International Atomic Energy Agency is a matter of great concern. The explanations provided by Iran for the presence of nuclear material at the site are not reliable or technically possible. Iran continues to lie to the IAEA and deceive the international community… Closing the case could have extremely dangerous consequences, and it conveys a message to the Iranians that they are not required to pay a price for their violations and that they can continue to deceive the international community on their way to achieving a full military nuclear program”. Relatedly, Defence Minister Gallant asserted that “in light of the IAEA’s report stating that Iran possesses a sufficient amount of enriched uranium for two nuclear bombs, the treats facing the State of Israel are growing and intensifying and we may be required to fulfill our duty in order to protect the integrity of Israel”. Too, Prime Minister Netanyahu affirmed: “I have a sharp and clear message for both Iran and the international community: Israel will do whatever it needs to do to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons".

U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met with senior Israeli officials and discussed, inter alia, “enhanced coordination to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, and ways to counter threats from Iran and its proxies”. The two sides also conferred on their “shared concern with Russia’s deepening military relationship with Iran, and the importance of supporting Ukraine in the defence of its territory and citizenry, including from Iranian drones”.

A Palestinian militant group claimed that an Israeli airstrike had killed five of its members near Lebanon’s border with Syria, adding: “This crime is not isolated from the recent accelerating events on the Lebanese and Syrian fronts, and within the framework of continuous Zionist [ie, Israeli] threats targeting resistance forces inside and outside Palestine”. However, media reports cited unnamed Israeli sources denying involvement, and Lebanese sources indicating that the blast was “caused by mines or rockets detonating as they were being moved”.

After meeting with his Azeri counterpart in Baku, President Isaac Herzog indicated that “we look at the regional security structure that is threatened by Iran – a topic that we discussed in depth and we expect to develop cooperation between us in many fields”.

Syrian state media reported Israeli missile strikes against “some sites in the vicinity of Damascus”.

The IDF reported downing “a drone crossing from Lebanese territory into Israeli territory”, adding that it would “continue to prevent any attempt to violate Israeli sovereignty”.

The IDF’s chief of staff remarked that “Iran has made more progress in uranium enrichment than ever before. We are also closely examining other aspects of the [Iranians’] path to nuclear capability… Without going into details, there are possible negative developments on the horizon that could prompt action. We have abilities and others have abilities”. The same day, Israel’s national security advisor maintained that “there is no place that can’t be reached… We are sending the message – so is the U.S. – that if you [ie, Iran] cross the red line, the price you will pay as a regime and as a country is one you wouldn’t want to pay, so be careful”.

A senior IDF official asserted that Hizbollah’s leadership was “close to making a mistake that could plunge the region into a big war. [Hassan Nasrallah] is close to making this mistake from Lebanon or Syria”. Noting bullishness on the part of Syria’s government, he went on to assess that “all this creates a high potential for an escalation in the region and we need to be prepared that our enemies won’t understand the message we’re sending. Let them not be mistaken, we’re ready to use force and we will do whatever is possible and necessary to bring calm”.

Israel’s defence minister estimated that “since I took office, the number of Israeli strikes against the Iranian in Syria have doubled... We are working methodically to strike the Iranian intelligence capabilities in Syria. These strikes inflict significant damage to the attempts by the Revolutionary guard to establish a foothold a few kilometres from the Israeli border”. He further asserted that “Iran aims to expand its reach to the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea and even the shores of the Mediterranean... This is a structure plan designed to threaten trade and flight route - both military and civilian - and to create a permanent threat in the maritime arena”.

Discussing Operation Shield and Arrow against Palestinian Islamic Jihad targets in Gaza, Prime Minister Netanyahu insisted that “95 per cent of Israel’s security problems come from Iran. We are dealing with an attempt by Iran to start a multi-front campaign against us. I instructed the IDF and security forces to be prepared for this fight… If we need to, we will”. During the same event, the head of Shin Bet contended that PIJ was “fully funded by Iran”, adding: “The hands are Palestinian, but the voice is Iran’s… We won’t let Iran work via proxies”.

Defence Minister Gallant warned that “over the past six months, Iran has sent aircraft to Syria on a weekly basis, delivering weapons to be used for terrorism. The Syrian regime should be aware that the IDF will respond forcefully to any attacks launched from its territory. We will not allow Iran to establish military power in Syria, or to build a ‘highway’ for the delivery of advanced weapons to Lebanon”.

Prime Minister Netanyahu told a U.S. congressional delegation that “Iran is 50 North Koreas. It is not merely a neighbourhood bully like the dynasty that rules North Korea. This is an ideological force that views us, Israel, as the small Satan, and views you as the Great Satan. To have Iran being able to threaten every city in the U.S. with nuclear blackmail is a changing of history”. Relatedly, Defence Minister Gallant contended that “Iran will not be satisfied by a single nuclear bomb. So far, Iran has gained material enriched to 20 per cent and 60 per cent for five nuclear bombs… Iranian progress, and enrichment to 90 per cent, would be a grave mistake on Iran’s part, and could ignite the region”.

U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan remarked that “we are… engaging Iran diplomatically regarding its nuclear program, and we continue to believe that it was a tragic mistake to leave the deal with nothing at all to replace it. But we have made clear to Iran that it can never be permitted to obtain a nuclear weapon. As President Biden has repeatedly reaffirmed, he will take the actions that are necessary to stand by this statement, including by recognising Israel’s freedom of action”. He further explained that “on the deterrence side, working with our partners – including working very closely with Israel... we will continue to send a clear message about the costs and consequences of going too far, while at the same time continuing to seek the possibility of a diplomatically brokered outcome that puts Iran’s nuclear program back in the box”. “This is an issue that occupies the president’s attention, my attention, on a daily basis”, Sullivan added, while warning: “Iran’s program has advanced considerably. It is a genuine danger to regional security and to global security, and, indeed, to the U.S.”. The secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said that Sullivan’s remarks meant the “U.S. has been and will be responsible for all terrorist acts of Zionists [ie, Israel] against Iran's facilities and people, accepting its consequences”.

Microsoft Threat Intelligence issued a report assessing that “Iran continues to be a significant threat actor, and it is now supplementing its traditional cyberattacks with a new playbook, leveraging cyber-enabled influence operations (IO) to achieve its geopolitical aims. Microsoft has detected these efforts rapidly accelerating since June 2022”. “These operations remain focused on Israel, prominent Iranian opposition figures and groups and Tehran’s Gulf state adversaries”, it noted. “Iran directed nearly a quarter (23 per cent) of its cyber operations against Israel between October of 2022 and March of 2023, with the U.S., United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia also bearing the brunt of these efforts… The goals of its cyber-enabled IO have included seeking to bolster Palestinian resistance, fomenting unrest in Bahrain, and countering the ongoing normalisation of Arab-Israeli ties, with a particular focus on sowing panic and fear among Israeli citizens”. The report also predicted that “that future threat of increasingly destructive Iranian cyberattacks remains, particularly against Israel and the U.S., as some Iranian groups are likely seeking cyberattack capabilities against industrial control systems. Iranian cyberattacks and influence operations are likely to remain focused on retaliating against foreign cyberattacks and perceived incitement of protests inside Iran”.

Prime Minister Netanyahu told the Knesset that “the first and most urgent challenge is the joint effort by Israel and the U.S. to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons… We will not allow Iran to place a noose of terrorism around us – not in Syria, not in Lebanon, not in Gaza, and not in Judea and Samaria. We will not allow Iran to entrench itself militarily on our borders and we will do everything to prevent it from obtaining nuclear weapons”.

Syrian state media reported Israeli airstrikes in Aleppo, killing one soldier, injuring seven (five soldiers, two civilians) and putting the airport out of service.

Prime Minister Netanyahu underscored that “we’re doing everything to make sure that the forces that are basically financed and equipped and pushed by Iran… Do not succeed”, adding that Israel’s Arab neighbours “have no illusions about the danger of Iran and Iran-sponsored terrorism and aggression in the region and they also have no illusion about the fact that Israel is a force for stability, for peace and for security”. Netanyahu went on to contend that “if you want to stop Iran from becoming a nuclear power, the only way – a military nuclear power – the only way that you can stop them is with a credible military threat”.

Syrian state media reported Israeli missile strikes near Homs, wounding three civilians and causing fire in “an oil station and a number of tankers”.

Media reports indicated that Israel had “shelled targets in southern Syria”. According to unconfirmed accounts, the targets were Hizbollah-linked militias.

Defence Minister Gallant contended that “Iran is closer than ever to reaching military nuclear capability. In the face of this threat, we must act in one of two ways: military action or a credible military threat”. “Iran feels increasing self-confidence. In its view, the West is deterred and lacks effective tools against it”, Gallant argued. “While Israel is busy dealing with Iran’s proxies, Iran is getting stronger economically and militarily and this gives it room for action. This is something that should keep the whole world, and Israel, awake at night”.

Defence Minister Gallant assessed that “we are facing a new security era in which there may be a real threat to all arenas at the same time. We operated for years under the assumption that limited conflicts could be managed, but that is a phenomenon that is disappearing. Today, there is a noticeable phenomenon of the convergence of the arenas”. “Iran”, he continued, “is the driving force in the convergence of the arenas. It transfers resources, ideology, knowledge and training to its proxies… The increasing dependence [of the proxies] on Iran leads them to step over the boundaries and become more brazen”. Gallant further highlighted that “we continue to systematically damage Iranian assets and capabilities in the region. We will not allow Iran to establish an Iranian army in Syria, we will not allow the Golan Heights to become Lebanon, and we will not allow Syrian territory to be a springboard for advanced weapons heading to Lebanon... In the first quarter of 2023 we doubled the rate of attacks in Syria. We are systematically attacking [Iranian] intelligence and military capabilities”.

The IDF reported that an Israeli drone had suffered a technical malfunction and fell in Syrian territory. There were also unconfirmed accounts of Israeli artillery fire against Iran-linked sites in southern Syria.

Israel’s foreign minister indicated that a visit to Saudi Arabia “is on the table, there is no date yet”, and went on to contend: “The enemy of Saudi Arabia is certainly not Israel. Its enemy is Iran”. Relatedly, Prime Minister Netanyahu, discussing the March 2023 Saudi-Iranian agreement on restoring diplomatic relations and cautioning that “those who partner with Iran partner with misery”, posited: “I think it has probably a lot more to do with the desire to de-escalate or even eliminate the long-standing conflict in Yemen. I think that Saudi Arabia, the leadership there, has no illusions about who are their adversaries, and who are their friends”. He went on assert: “We’d like very much to have peace with Saudi Arabia... We would like to expand the circle of peace to its totality”.

During a visit to Turkmenistan, Foreign Minister Eli Cohen stated that “I came to open an Israeli embassy 17km from the border with Iran”, adding: “Ties with Turkmenistan have great importance for security and diplomacy, and the visit will strengthen Israel’s place in the region”.

Speaking at a ceremony marking Holocaust Remembrance Day, Prime Minister Netanyahu stated: “The victory of the past does not alone guarantee the victory of the future. That is why we firmly fight any nuclear agreement with Iran, which would pave its way to nuclear weapons... For the same reason, we fight aggressively against Iran’s terrorist branches around us. Those who seek to wrap us in a stranglehold of terror will encounter an overwhelming response”.

Israel’s defence minister asserted that “Iran is waging a multi-front war of attrition against the State of Israel... [and] continuing its attempts to establish itself on the northern front and at the same time sending its proxies to Judea, Samaria and Gaza”. The following day, Foreign Minister Eli Cohen underscored that “the way to change Iranian behaviour is through massive economic and political pressure, in every sector of Iranian interests... [along with a] military threat against it”.

Senior U.S. and Israeli defence officials discussed, per an Israeli readout, “the need to act against the Iranian nuclear program, promote IDF force buildup and bolster the State of Israeli’s qualitative military edge... the leaders addressed Iranian actions to undermine regional and global stability and encourage terrorism Israeli citizens. Furthermore, they discussed recent attacks against Israel including rocket fire and terrorist attacks”.

Prime Minister Netanyahu contended that “we hit the Iranians, we attacked Syria, we attacked Hizbollah and Hamas targets in Lebanon... Hamas won’t be allowed to open another front in Lebanon, and I think that message was received”. “We attacked in many different ways, and not everything was visible”, he added.

The Israeli military reported that “three rockets were launched from Syrian territory toward Israel, two of them crossed into Israeli territory”, It subsequently struck “the launchers in Syria from which [the] rockets were launched” using a UAV.

The Israeli military confirmed that at least “34 rockets… were fired from Lebanon into Israel. 25 rockets were intercepted by the IDF Aerial Defence Array, while five landed in Israeli territory. Four additional launches are under review”. Three people were reportedly injured. A military spokesperson said that “Hamas was behind the rocket attack from Lebanon. The Lebanese government is responsible for any attack from its territory. We are checking if there was any Iranian involvement in the rocket attack”. The following day, Israel conducted airstrikes targeting what the military described as “infrastructures belonging to Hamas in southern Lebanon”, asserting: “The IDF will not allow the Hamas terrorist organisation to operate from within Lebanon and hold the state of Lebanon responsible for every directed fire emanating from its territory”. The IDF also downed a drone that had entered Israel from Lebanon.

IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi asserted that “we are ready to act against Iran. The Israeli army has the ability to strike both in distant countries and near home. In the coming years, the IDF will significantly strengthen its capabilities for a [pre-emptive strike on Iran] and, despite the distance, such a strike will be overwhelming”. “We know how to act alone”, Halevi emphasised. “We are a sovereign nation that reserves the right to make its own decisions. It would be good to have the U.S. on our side, but it is not an obligation”.

Prime Minister Netanyahu posited that “if we do not prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, we will be in a different reality in which the entire world will be hostage to those who have inscribed on their flag their desire to destroy us; therefore, this is our supreme mission. I would like to tell our enemies not to err: No internal debate will prevent us from doing what needs to be done together in order to defend our state and prevent them from carrying out their destructive desire”. The same day, Netanyahu asserted that “Iran is responsible for 95 per cent of the security threats against us”.

Syrian state media reported Israeli missile strikes against “some points in the vicinity of Damascus and the southern region”, killing two. The same day, Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson opined that “the more the path of diplomacy and convergence is strengthened in the West Asia region, the more the adventurous measures of the usurping Zionist regime [ie, Israel] increase”.

Syrian state media reported Israeli airstrikes against “some sites in the city of Homs and its countryside”, wounding five soldiers and causing material damage. Also, Israel’s military confirmed downing a drone, assessed to be Iranian, that entered Israeli airspace from Syria. In comments the same day, Defence Minister Gallant contended that “we have tensions on all fronts. The Iranians are extending their outreach to Judea and Samaria and Gaza, and are attempting to entrench themselves in Syria and Lebanon. We will not allow the Iranians and Hizbollah to harm us. We have not allowed it in the past, we won’t allow it now, or anytime in the future”. “If necessary”, Gallant warned, “we will push them out of Syria to where they belong – and that is Iran”.

Syrian state media reported Israeli airstrikes “targeting a site in Damascus countryside”. Iran’s IRGC confirmed the death of two IRGC personnel during the attack, pledging revenge against Israel.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with his Israeli counterpart on, inter alia, “shared challenges including Iran, as well as efforts to advance mutual interests, such as Israel’s further regional integration”.

Syrian state media reported that Israel had launched “a number of missiles… [against] some sites in the vicinity of Damascus”, wounding two soldiers and causing material damage.

Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said that he and his Azeri counterpart had “agreed on forming a united front in the face of Iran… We must work together to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear capability and will be best achieve that goal through political and economic means, while a credible military threat is understood”. Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson characterised the statement as “another piece of evidence proving the Zionist regime’s [Israel’s] evil intentions to turn the Republic of Azerbaijan’s territory into a threat against the national security of the Islamic Republic of Iran… Iran cannot remain indifferent to the conspiracy that the Zionist regime advances against it from the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan”. 

 After Greek police arrested and charged two individuals on suspicion of planning attacks against Jewish targets in the country, the Israeli Prime Minister’s office stated that the plot “was an additional attempt by Iran to perpetrate terrorism against Israeli and Jewish targets abroad. After the start of the investigation of the suspects in Greece, the Mossad rendered intelligence assistance in unraveling the infrastructure, its work methods and the link to Iran. The investigation revealed that the infrastructure that operated in Greece is part of an extensive Iranian network run from Iran and spanning many countries”.

Hizbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah remarked that “Hizbollah’s silence [regarding the 13 March explosion at the Megiddo Junction in Israel] is part of the battle with the enemy… I will respond to the enemy’s threats that if Hizbollah was proven to be responsible for the Megiddo operation they will do such and such, by telling tell them: Buzz off”. He further warned Israel that “an attack on Lebanon could trigger a war in the region… The resistance in Lebanon adheres to its commitment and its decision that any attack against any person present on Lebanese territory, whether he is Lebanese, Palestinian or of another nationality, or an attack on a Lebanese region, will not get unanswered”.

Syrian state media reported that Israeli missile strikes had “targeted Aleppo International Airport, causing material damages”. Unnamed intelligence sources were cited as indicating that the target was “an underground munitions depot linked to the nearby Nairab military airport, where missile systems delivered on several Iranian military planes had been stored”.

The National Security Council Counter-Terrorism Division issued a travel warning in which it assessed that “Iran… is continuing to advance attacks on Israeli nationals around the world both directly and via proxies that it operates”, adding: “Areas with the highest likelihood of such actions are those countries in proximity to Iran… as well as additional countries in the Mediterranean Sea basin and the Middle East, including the Kurdish area in Iraq [which Israelis are prohibited from entering]”. The NSC also noted what it described as “repeated efforts by Iranian terrorist elements to contact Israeli nationals, in Israel and abroad, online under false pretenses [including via social media] in order to attack or abduct them”.

President Biden spoke with Prime Minister Netanyahu and, inter alia, reaffirmed “his unwavering commitment to Israel’s security and the ongoing cooperation between our national security teams, including to counter all threats posed by Iran”.

Speaking alongside Germany’s chancellor, Prime Minister Netanyahu asserted that “we must stand together in confronting common dangers, and no danger is greater and of greater concern to Israel than Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons”. He further affirmed: “The Jewish state will do everything necessary to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, period. Of course, we’d like to do that with the concert and support and cooperation of the civilised powers of the world, the U.S., the E3… We have to act against it now. We have to communicate to Iran that it should not cross that threshold or there will be heavy consequences”. “But”, Netanyahu warned, “Israel will do what Israel needs to do to defend itself against those who want to annihilate the Jewish state. Israel will also act against Iran’s aggression and terrorism”.

The Israeli military announced that “An explosive device was detonated adjacent to the Megiddo Junction [on 13 March], severely injuring an Israeli civilian. During searches in northern Israel, security forces neutralised a terrorist armed with an explosive belt and multiple weapons in a vehicle”. The IDF further stated that “an initial inquiry suggests that the terrorist crossed from Lebanon… The possible involvement of the Hizbollah terrorist army is under review. The assumption is that due to the quick response of security forces, another terrorist attack was prevented”. Defence Minister Gallant warned that “whoever is responsible for the attack will regret it. We’ll find the right place and time and we’ll hit them”.

The IDF announced that two of its “fighter jets accompanied a U.S. B-52 bomber through Israel’s skies… as part of the close cooperation with the U.S. Armed Forces, which is a significant component in maintaining the aerial security of the State of Israel and the Middle East”.

Syrian state media reported that Israel had “carried out an aerial act of aggression with bursts of missiles… targeting some sites in the countryside of Tartous and Hama provinces”, injuring three.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Prime Minister Netanyahu conferred on, inter alia, “the threats posed by Iran in the region and agreed to increase cooperation to confront Iranian aggression”. Austin reiterated “the U.S. commitment to never allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon”, further highlighting “the lethal consequences of Russia’s expanding military cooperation with Iran in Ukraine, where the use of lethal attack drones is killing innocent civilians and the negative implications this trend poses for the Middle East region – to include Russia providing technology to Iran in exchange for its assistance”.

Syrian state media reported Israeli airstrikes against Aleppo International Airport, putting it out of service. Syrian foreign ministry condemned the attack and said it had “targeted one of the main channels for the delivery of humanitarian aid from inside and outside Syria to the victims of the devastating [6 February] earthquake”.

The Israel National Cyber Directorate blamed MuddyWater, a cyber group it said was “affiliated with Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security”, for a February cyberattack against an Israeli university.

Senior officials from the U.S. and Israel convened the U.S.-Israel Strategic Consultative Group, which “reviewed with significant concern advances in Iran’s nuclear program… officials pledged to enhance coordination on measures to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon and to further deter Iran’s hostile regional activities”.

After IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi stated that “any military attack on a nuclear facility is outlaw” during a visit to Tehran, Prime Minister Netanyahu remarked: “Is Iran, which openly calls for our destruction, permitted to defend the destructive weapons that would slaughter us? Are we permitted to defend ourselves? It is clear that we are and it is clear that we will do so”.

Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mark Milley visited Israel and met with his Israeli counterpart; according to a U.S. readout, they “discussed regional security issues, opportunities for increased bilateral cooperation, coordination to defend against threats posed by Iran across the region and other items of mutual strategic interest”. Milley also met with Israel’s defence minister, who asserted that “ongoing cooperation is required in order to prevent Iran from gaining a nuclear weapon”.

A senior IDF official contended that “Iran is not just a threat to Israel; and I’m not only speaking about their nuclear threats, but also their deployment of UAVs and their threat over the international freedom of navigation… In the last month, Iran has unsuccessfully carried out several attempts to attack Israeli naval vessels in the Mediterranean Sea. We have also seen the use of armed drones in the Russian-Ukrainian War. Iran poses a threat to the security and stability of the Middle East”.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated that “we’re committed to Israel’s security. We are committed together to the proposition that Iran never acquire a nuclear weapon… The President’s been very clear that every option is on the table to do that. And we’re also working to deepen our cooperation and coordination with Israel, as well as with other countries to deal with the multiplicity of challenges that Iran poses, including advances in its nuclear program”. He further noted that “we continue to believe that, with regard to the nuclear program, the most effective, sustainable way to deal with the challenges it poses is through diplomacy. But in this moment, those efforts are on the back burner because Iran is simply not engaged in a meaningful way”. Asked whether the U.S. had given Israel a green light to attack Iran, Blinken asserted that “countries will make sovereign decisions for their own security.  And of course, that’s no different when it comes to Israel or any country. We can’t make those decisions for them”.

Prime Minister Netanyahu contended that “the only thing that has credibly stopped rogue nations from developing nuclear weapons is a credible military threat or a credible military action. You can couple that with crippling economic sanctions, but that’s not a sufficient condition. A necessary condition, and an often sufficient condition, is credible military action. The longer you wait, the harder that becomes. We've waited very long”. Relatedly, Foreign Minister Eli Cohen opined that “the [U.S.] and Europe cannot stand on the side anymore on the Iranian issue… Iran is very close to enriching uranium to 90 per cent, and Iran is supplying weapons to Russia to fight Ukraine”, further predicting that they “will force snapback [sanctions] on Iran before the UN General Assembly in September”. Cohen went on to warn that “Israel will use any option, including attacking Iran, to prevent them from having a nuclear weapon. But it’s also important that the U.S. and other countries put their credible military threats on the table. Iran is like a cancer. It is a threat to the stability not just of the region but of the entire world… It’s the right time to take the relevant steps immediately”.

Prime Minister Netanyahu affirmed that “our efforts are unceasing for the simple reason that Iran’s acts of aggression are unceasing… Iran is trying relentlessly to attack the State of Israel and its citizens wherever they are in the world. Iran’s attacks will not weaken us”. He went on to assert that “we will not allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons and we will not allow it to entrench on our northern border. We are doing – and will do – everything to defend our people and we are responding forcefully to the attacks against us... Iran is not only trying to attack us physically. It is trying to attack our national morale. It is trying to undermine our unity as a people”.

Syrian state media reported that Israel had fired “waves of missiles… [against] some points in Damascus city and its surroundings, including residential neighbourhoods”, killing five and injuring fifteen.

Media reports citing an unnamed U.S. official indicated that on 10 February the Campo Square, a Liberian-flagged commercial vessel linked to Israeli ownership, came under attack by a suspected Iranian drone in the Arabian Sea, resulting in “minor damage”. Two days later, Prime Minister Netanyahu claimed Iran was responsible for the attack, which led to Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson denying the accusation, while arguing: “A regime that endangers the security of others and does not adhere to the security of others exposes itself to mutual threats”.

At the Munich Security Conference, Defence Minister Gallant contended that “Iran is currently holding discussions to sell advanced weapons, including UAVs and PGMs (precision-guided missiles), to no less than 50 different countries. Iran is no longer a ‘local supplier’, serving proxies in the Middle East. It is a ‘multinational corporation’, a global exporter of advanced weapons. From Belarus in Eastern Europe, to Venezuela in South America, we have seen Iran delivering UAVs with a range of up to 1,000 kilometers”. He further underlined that “all this takes place, while the missile embargo on Iran is still in effect, an embargo that will expire this year. Time is running out, while an evil regime traffics weapons… The international community must create an effective alternative to the dying embargo, a practical mechanism of deterrence and consequences”. He went on to assert that “when we speak of preventing Iran from gaining a nuclear weapon, we must keep all the possible means, I repeat, all possible means on the table”.

The director general of the Israeli Nation Cyber Directorate (INCD) estimated that “there are 200 attacks a month on Israel by Iran. Last year there were 88 attacks per month on average… The [number of] groups involved also grew, from six to fourteen”. He further noted: “We have to improve our trust with everybody, to share a lot more. We are currently working on a shared platform with the Abraham Accords countries”.

Prime Minister Netanyahu opined that “if you have rogue regimes that are intent nuclear weapons, you can sign 100 agreements with them, it doesn’t help… The only way that you can stop or abstain from getting nuclear weapons is a combination of crippling economic sanctions, but the most important thing, is a credible military threat”. Asked whether Israel was responsible for a 28 January attack against a military site in Isfahan, Netanyahu said: “Every time some explosion takes place in the Middle East… Israel is blamed or given responsibility. Sometimes we aren’t sometimes we’re not”. He further discussed Ukraine and stated: “Israel… acts in ways that I will not itemise here against Iran’s weapons productions, which are used against Ukraine”.

Speaking alongside Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Prime Minister Netanyahu remarked that “we’ve had very good discussions on forging a common policy [on Iran], on trying to work together to thwart the danger… My policy is to do everything within Israel’s power to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them and that will remain so. But obviously the fact that we and the U.S. are working together is something that is important for this common goal as well”. In turn, Blinken indicated that “we agree that Iran must never be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon, and we discussed deepening cooperation to confront and counter Iran’s destabilising activities in the region and beyond. Just as Iran has long supported terrorists that attack Israelis and others, the regime is now providing drones that Russia is using to kill innocent Ukrainian civilians. In turn, Russia is providing sophisticated weaponries to Iran. It’s a two-way street”. Separately, Foreign Minister Cohen argued that the Abraham Accords “created a unique opportunity in the form of a regional coalition against the Iranian threat”, adding: “My goal is to strengthen [them]… and to expand relations with additional countries”. He also asserted that “the international community must act quickly and effectively against Iran’s nuclear program”. Blinken also met with President Herzog and Defence Minister Gallant where Iran was a topic of discussion.

Unconfirmed media accounts reported that “drones attacked a convoy of trucks” after crossing into Syria from Iraq via the al-Bukamal border.

Iran’s Defence Ministry acknowledged an attack against what was described as a “military workshop” in Isfahan using micro aerial vehicles, asserting that it had “caused no disruption to the equipment and operations of the complex”. A Pentagon spokesperson denied U.S. military involvement in the strike, while media reports widely suggested an Israeli role.

The U.S. and Israeli militaries began a joint exercise in Israel and the Eastern Mediterranean Sea to boost “collective U.S.-Israeli readiness and improve[] the interoperability of both forces”. CENTCOM’s commander maintained that “these kinds of exercises – which CENTCOM routinely conducts with our partners – develop interoperability between military forces, increase military capabilities, and are important to the security and stability of the region. The lessons learned during these exercises are exportable to our partners across the region”. Three days later, CENTCOM announced the conclusion of what it described as “the largest U.S.-Israel partnered exercise in history”.

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met with Prime Minister Netanyahu and other senior Israeli officials. According to a White House readout, he reaffirmed “the U.S.’s unwavering commitment to Israel’s security and to countering the continued threats posed by Iran to Israel, the U.S. and the wider region”. Sullivan further underscored “the U.S. commitment to ensure Iran can never acquire a nuclear weapon”, and the two sides also discussed “Ukraine, as well as the burgeoning defence partnership between Russia and Iran and its implications for security in the Middle East region”. Sullivan also had a joint meeting with his Israeli, Bahraini and Emirati counterparts. Foreign Minister Eli Cohen called for “massive, immediate and comprehensive pressure” against Iran, and according to Israel’s Defence Ministry, a meeting between Sullivan and senior Israeli defence officials concentrated on “the regional and global threat posed by Iran’s activities, with an emphasis on the activity to achieve nuclear capability and the importance of preparing a response to this threat, alongside harnessing the international community”.

Outgoing IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kohavi reiterated that “what is important is not to allow Iran to obtain a nuclear bomb, but also not to get to the point where it can rapidly break out into a nuclear bomb within weeks… Our responsibility in the IDF is to be ready to strike a substantial blow against the nuclear facilities and also against second-level military targets, and to be ready for a broader conflict with Iran”. He further noted: “In under a year, we are going to have carried out three training exercises with dozens of aircraft, refueling aircraft and all of the operative units. In addition, we also established an Iran Department in the IDF... All of this speaks for itself regarding the level of preparation that we are achieving”. “All of this is in order to prepare the IDF for the day the order will be given to attack”, Kohavi emphasised. “We are preparing this option. If the political echelon decides, they will have this tool available”.

Prime Minister Netanyahu, visiting IDF Northern Command, asserted that “the main enemy that we face is the terrorist regime in Iran and its proxies in Syria and Lebanon. We are determined to fight Iran’s attempts to develop a nuclear arsenal. We are determined to fight any attempt by Iran to entrench militarily in Syria on our northern border. We are determined to fight any attempt by Hizbollah to show aggression against us in Lebanon. Whoever needs a reminder about our red lines on this matter will receive it”. During the same visit, Defence Minister Gallant maintained: “the security establishment will prevent Iran from entrenching in Syria and will sever the channels by which Iranian weaponry is transferred to Lebanon and Hizbollah… In addition to maintaining quiet, we will take strong action against any attempt to attack Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers”.

Prime Minister Netanyahu told the Israeli cabinet that “we salute the Iranian citizens who are heroically fighting for their freedom… They are revealing to the entire world the true face of the oppressive regime in Tehran, a regime that threatens its citizens, the counties in the region and the entire world”. The following day, the premier asserted: “It’s time to close ranks between Israel and the U.S. – and others… I think there is more of a meeting of the minds today [on Iran] than there has ever been”. Relatedly, U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan noted that “we’ve made clear that our priority right now is not the JCPOA… We continue to believe that, ultimately, diplomacy is the best way to do that in the right context, backed effectively by international unity and the necessary pressure to sharpen Iran’s choices”. “I think we [ie, Israel and the U.S.] share the same fundamental objectives”, he added. “And we will work through any differences we have on tactics the same way that we have over the course of the past two years”.

Newly-appointed Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant conferred with his U.S. counterpart on, inter alia, “Israel’s commitment to do whatever it takes to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons… and emphasised the need to harness the international community for cooperation on the issue”. According to a U.S. readout, “the two leaders agreed on the need to work together to address the wide range of regional challenges, including threats posed by Iran’s destabilising activities. They also discussed opportunities to increase military cooperation and to advance Israel’s integration in the region”. 

Prime Minister Netanyahu asserted that “we will work openly, from a position of strength, in the international arena against a return to the nuclear agreement [ie, JCPOA], not only in talks with leaders behind closed doors but strongly and openly in the sphere of global opinion, which is now aware of the true dangers posed by Iran – the Iranian regime that is killing innocent citizens in and beyond Iran”. He added: “In contrast to the prevailing opinion that this dangerous nuclear option has disappeared from the agenda following the recent events in Iran, I think that this possibility has not yet finally disappeared from the agenda”. Netanyahu further affirmed that “we will also take vigorous action to prevent the Iranian military entrenchment in Syria and elsewhere and we will not wait”.

Iran’s UN envoy wrote to the secretary-general and president of the Security Council regarding what he described as Israel’s “inflammatory and belligerent statements threatening to use force against Iran’s peaceful nuclear program”, stating that: “Iran reserves its legitimate right… to respond to any threat posed by the Israeli regime and protect its people as well as national security interests at any time it deems appropriate”.

Syrian state media reported Israel airstrikes against “Damascus International Airport and its vicinity”, killing two, wounding two others and causing damage to the airport.

Benjamin Netanyahu was sworn in as Israel’s prime minister, and asserted: “We have four main goals… First of all, to block Iran. This is an existential question. First of all, we will see to our existence and security”.

Israel’s military chief of staff was cited as saying that “Israel carries out on average at least one operation against Iran every week somewhere throughout the Middle East”, adding: “The Iranian vision to establish a second Hizbollah in Syria has been disrupted… The Iranians wanted to deploy hundreds of surface-to-surface missiles in Syria alongside tens of thousands of Shiite militiamen”. “There is a lot less weaponry and fewer bases and forces”, he continued. “This didn’t happen on its own, but rather, due to [Israel’s] war between wars, which will mark ten years in March [2023]”.

Israel’s military chief of staff remarked that “the level of preparedness for an operation in Iran has dramatically improved… The IDF will be ready for the day when an order is given to act against the nuclear program, and it will fulfill the mission that it is given”. The following day, outgoing Prime Minister Lapid asserted that “no Israeli government will agree to Iran becoming nuclear. If it is necessary to act, we will act”, while Defence Minister Gantz told air force pilots that “Israel has significantly increased its preparedness and is preparing for the possibility of an attack on Iran… You make cross the sky to the east in two or three years and take part in an attack on nuclear sites”.

The head of Mossad asserted that Israel had “identified dangerous, threatening, some defiant processes on the part of Iran…Iran is radicalising and increasing its attempts to carry out terrorist attacks, which we suppress every day, all over the world”. He added: “We also warn today of Iran’s future intentions, which they are trying to keep secret, to deepen and expand the supply of advanced nuclear weapons to Russia”. The intelligence chief further cautioned about Iran’s plan to “expand uranium enrichment project and... intensify attacks on friendly Muslim countries in the region in various ways”.

The Israeli military reported intercepting “a drone crossing from Lebanon into Israeli territory… The drone most likely belongs to the Hizbollah terrorist organisation”.

The Syrian military reported two injuries and material damage as a result of Israeli airstrikes near Damascus.

Defence Minister Benny Gantz contended that “Iran is first a global and regional threat, and then it is a threat to the State of Israel… Just as NATO has rallied around Ukraine, we must push our international partners to face the biggest global tyrant, before it gains the power of deterrence – a nuclear umbrella”. He further emphasised that “timing is critical – now that Iran faces internal social and economic difficulties, when Iran faces pushback for its role in providing weapons to attack Ukraine, when it hasn’t yet reached the point of no return in its nuclear progress… The time has come to place serious pressure on the Iranians in order to achieve a new and improved agreement. And if this should fail, the time has come for a combination of power projection and powerful reaction to Iranian aggression. Our action must be preemptive. Before it’s too late”.

Israel’s military chief of staff indicated that “we could have not been aware of the Syrian convoy a few weeks ago. We could have not known that it was heading from Iraq to Syria, we could have not known what’s in it and we could have not known that out of the 25 trucks, truck number eight was the one carrying weapons… We needed to send pilots to the right place and they had to evade surface-to-air missiles fired at them. They needed to attack, they needed to hit their targets and come back safely and not kill people who shouldn’t be killed. These are very advanced capabilities”.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken asserted that cooperation between the U.S. and Israel “allows us to collaborate in countering a range of regional threats, none graver than those posed by Iran.  The Iranian regime routinely threatens to wipe Israel off the map and continues to provide weapons to terrorists and proxies like Hizbollah and Hamas that remain motivated, like Iran, by the rejection of Israel’s right to exist”. He further noted that “the regime’s actions [in response to anti-government protests] have only deepened our conviction that Iran must never be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon… The best way to ensure this is through diplomacy”. “Should the Iranian regime reject that path”, Blinken warned, “its leaders should make no mistake that all options are on the table to ensure that Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon”.

Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz asserted that “in the last five years, Iran has conducted at least sixteen separate attacks on civilian international vessels in the Gulf and the Red Sea”. He also contended that “Iran continues to build, expand and fortify its capabilities. Today should Iran decide to do so, it may reach SQ1 at 90 per cent enriched Uranium in only two weeks. The international community must take action – strengthening alliances, increasing intelligence cooperation, projecting power and responding forcefully to Iranian attacks and aggression”.

The Israeli military announced the conclusion of joint drills with the U.S. “simulating various scenarios in the face of regional threats”, adding: “The IDF Intelligence Directorate conducted an extensive simulation replicating campaign against distant countries, testing the IDF’s abilities of intelligence gathering, target determination and outlining and making intelligence available to operational forces… These exercises are a key component of our two militaries’ increasing strategic cooperation in response to shared concerns in the Middle East, particularly those posed by Iran”. Prime Minister Yair Lapid stated that “strategic cooperation with the U.S. and other countries strengthens the capabilities of the IDF against the challenges in the Middle East, led by Iran. We have partners in the sky and on the ground, but we also have the right to act as we see fit and defend the State of Israel”.

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met with the Israel’s military chief of staff and reiterated “the Administration’s ironclad support for Israel’s security”. The two also reaffirmed “their shared determination to address security challenges impacting the Middle East, including the threats posed by Iran and its proxies”, while Sullivan emphasised President Biden’s “commitment to ensuring that Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon”. According to an Israeli readout, during his visit to the U.S. Kohavi “held a series of meetings with senior U.S. officials… where they discussed further strengthening the cooperation between our militaries and mutual regional threats, primarily the Iranian nuclear threats”. It went on to assert that “on the one hand, Iran is under many economic, military and internal pressures, and on the other hand, it continues to promote its nuclear program. The IDF strongly promotes all operational plans against the Iranian threat… It was agreed that we are at a critical point in time that requires the acceleration of operational plans and cooperation against Iran and its terrorist proxies in the region”. Kohavi subsequently remarked that “in order to improve our capabilities in the face of challenges in the region, joint activity with the U.S. Central Command will be significantly expanded in the near future. At the same time, the IDF will continue to act at an accelerated rate against the entrenchment of the Iranian regime in the region”.

Israel’s head of military intelligence, discussing anti-government protests in Iran, assessed that “as the pressure on Iran increases, including internal pressure, the Iranian response is much more aggressive, so we should expect much more aggressive responses in the region and in the world”. He also tallied “including cyberattacks, around 100 operations that the Iranians carried out” in 2022, and warned: “The moment is coming when the greatest test of the international community will come to light, when Iran entertains enrichment at 90 per cent, even if only symbolically”.

Syrian state media reported Israeli airstrikes against “some posts in the central and coastal region”, killing four soldiers and injuring one.

Syrian state media reported Israeli airstrikes against “some posts in the central and coastal region”, killing four soldiers and injuring one.

Eastern Pacific Shipping Pte. Ltd. (EPS), affiliated with an Israeli businessman, reported that on 15 November its tanker Pacific Zircon “was hit by a projectile approximately 150 miles off the coast of Oman… there is some minor damage to the vessel’s hull”. U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan denounced the attack “in the strongest possible terms”, while maintaining: “We are confident that Iran likely conducted this attack using a UAV, a lethal capability it is increasingly employing directly and via its proxies throughout the Middle East and proliferating to Russia for use in Ukraine”. An unnamed Israeli official was cited as saying “it is an Iranian attack, there is consensus on this in the Israeli intelligence and defence community”.

Syrian state media reported Israeli missile strikes against a “military airport in Homs countryside”, resulting in two deaths and three injuries.

CENTCOM announced that it had conducted a bomber task force mission “with thirteen partner nation air forces, showcasing the ability to rapidly deploy global airpower alongside coalition and regional partner forces and ensuring the security of this critical region”.

Israel and Lebanon concluded a U.S.-mediated agreement on maritime boundaries. President Biden maintained the deal would prepare “the stage for a more stable and prosperous region”, and noted, “The U.S. will continue to serve as a facilitator as the parties work to uphold their commitments and implement this agreement”. Meanwhile, the State Department highlighted that the agreement would “strengthen the economic and security interests of Israel, while promoting critically needed foreign investment for the Lebanese people as they face a devastating economic crisis”. Prime Minister Yair Lapid remarked that “this agreement strengthens Israel’s security and our freedom of action against Hezbollah and the threats to our north”, and announced: “Israel has started producing gas from the Karish field”.

Syrian state media reported that Israeli airstrikes had targeted “some positions in the vicinity of Damascus”.

Israel’s president visited the U.S. to discuss, inter alia, “the Iranian threat, which is destabilising not only the Middle East, but the entire world, requiring a firm and united stand against it”. Prior to a meeting with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Herzog said that he would “be exposing more of the fact that Iranian weapons are used against civilians, innocent civilians in Ukraine”. The following day, speaking alongside President Biden, he maintained: “Iran [is] crushing their own citizens while moving forward towards nuclear weapons and supplying lethal weapons that is killing innocent citizens in Ukraine. The Iranian challenge will be a major challenge to be discussed”.

The U.S. and Israel held a session of the Joint Political-Military Group (JMPG), concentrating on, inter alia, “cooperation against the Iranian nuclear and regional threats, the opportunities created by the Abraham Accords and the evolving cooperation between the Israel Defence Forces and the Department of Defense, with U.S. Central Command leading operational expansion of military cooperation”. The two sides also reiterated their “shared commitment to a credible military threat in order to deter Iran”.

Syrian state media reported an Israeli missile strike against “some positions in the vicinity of Damascus”, injuring one soldier.

Syrian state media reported Israeli airstrikes against “a number of posts in the surroundings of Damascus”.

Prime Minister Yair Lapid maintained that the maritime border agreement with Lebanon “preserves the security of communities in the north as well as the freedom of action of the IDF and the Israeli Navy’s control of the area closest to the shoreline... As the Chief of General Staff told the Government, it does not preserve our security, it enhances our security”. “This agreement staves off the possibility of a military clash with Hizbollah”, he continued. “Israel is not afraid of Hizbollah… and if we went out to battle, we would deal them a heavy blow. That being said, if it is possible to prevent war, it is the job of a responsible government to do so”. Lapid further reiterated: “At every step of the way, we made it clear to the Lebanese — that with or without an agreement, Israel will not delay by even a single day, the production [of gas] from the Karish platform, and will not give in to any threat. The Karish field is in our sovereign territory, and an attack on it is an attack on the State of Israel. We will not hesitate for a second to use force to defend our gas field”.

The office of Israel’s defence minister announced that he had “directed the IDF to prepare for a scenario of escalation in the north, both offensively and defensively, given the developments in the [U.S.-mediated Israel-Lebanon] negotiations on the maritime border”. A U.S. official indicated that “we are at a critical stage in the negotiations and the gaps have narrowed. We remain committed to reaching a solution and believe a lasting compromise is possible”.

Addressing the 77^th UN General Assembly, Prime Minister Yair Lapid argued “if the Iranian regime gets a nuclear weapon, they will use it. The only way to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, is to put a credible military threat on the table. And then – and only then – to negotiate a longer and stronger deal with them”. He further warned that “this time we are not standing empty-handed against those who want to destroy us. The Jews today have a state. We have an army. We have great friendships, first and foremost with the U.S. We have capabilities and we are not afraid to use them. We will do whatever it takes: Iran will not get a nuclear weapon. We will not stand by while there are those who try to kill us”.

Defence Minister Benny Gantz contended that “Iran, through Hizbollah, is trying to buy Lebanon by supplying fuel, repairing the electricity system and building power plants… Lebanon’s energy dependence on Iran may eventually lead to the establishment of Iranian bases on Lebanese soil and the destabilisation of the region”. The same day, IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kohavi asserted: “Hizbollah has recently been increasing its negative activities, in a way that creates an ever-increasing risk of escalation, and tries to endanger Israel, but in practice also Lebanon and its citizens”.

Israel’s prime minister office, referring to U.S.-mediated maritime talks with Lebanon, stated that “it is both possible and necessary to reach an agreement... Such an agreement will be greatly beneficial and strengthen regional stability”. A spokesperson further underlined: “The production of gas from the Karish rig is not connected to these negotiations, and the production of gas from the rig will commence without delay, as soon as it is possible”.

The IDF reported that it had identified four individuals “hurling objects along the border fence with Syria toward Israel… IDF soldiers crossed the border and operated to stop them by firing toward the legs of one of the suspects. One of the suspects was injured and evacuated by a helicopter to a hospital”.

Asked about the Holocaust, President Raisi posited that “historical events should be investigated by researchers and historians. There are some signs that it happened. If so, they should allow it to be investigated and researched”. In response, IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kohavi asserted that “anyone who distorts and denies the painful and solid truth of history lies easily today and will naturally lie in the future. This is another reminder that such people should not be allowed to possess any capacity of any kind to develop weapons of mass destruction”.

Syrian state media reported that Israeli airstrikes had targeted Damascus International Airport and some sites south of Damascus, killing five soldiers and causing material damage.

Israel’s defence minister addressed the maritime talks with Lebanon, saying “Israel is ready to reach a deal that will assist both countries economically and energy-wise. I believe there will be two gas rigs in the sea, one on the Israeli side and one on the Lebanese side”. He also warned that if Hizbollah’s leadership “wants to try and harm and to complicate this process, he is welcome to do so, the price is Lebanon… I hope for his sake that we won’t do this”. Relatedly, National Security Advisor Eyal Hulata asserted: “Israel wants a stable Lebanon. We want to weaken Hizbollah’s influence… We hope that the Lebanese leaedership will also work to reach an agreement and will not allow Hizbollah to increase instability. We are not deterred by Nasrallah’s threats”.

The head of Mossad claimed that “the [nuclear] deal is based on Iranian lies. Iran has sought to build a nuclear weapon that endangers Israel’s existence. The deal will easily help them reach this goal under international legitimisation”. He further affirmed that “even if a deal is signed, it will not provide immunity from Mossad operations”, adding: “The Iranian leadership must understand that attacks against Israel or Israelis, directly or indirectly by proxies, will be met with a painful response against those responsible, on Iranian soil. We will not pursue the proxies, but the ones who armed them and gave the orders, and this will happen in Iran”.

Prime Minister Yair Lapid remarked that Israel had “held a discreet and intensive dialogue with [the E3], and presented them with up-to-date intelligence information about Iranian activity at nuclear sites”, adding: “Israel is conducting a successful diplomatic campaign to stop the nuclear agreement and prevent the lifting of sanctions on Iran. It is not over yet. There is still a long way to go, but there are encouraging signs”. The following day, speaking alongside the German chancellor, Lapid opined that “it is time to move past the failed negotiations with Iran… Returning to the nuclear agreement, under the current conditions, would be a critical mistake”. Lapid further remarked that “there is another way… forward for the Middle East. It is the path of the Abraham Accords and the Negev Forum. A path based on a shared vision for the region. A vision not of war, extremism and terrorism but of peace, tolerance and cooperation”.

Prime Minister Yair Lapid asserted that “Israel is working to prevent Iran from establishing terrorist bases throughout the Middle East and especially in Syria… Israel will not allow Syria to be used as an axis for the transfer of weapons to terrorist organisations, and will not accept the establishment of Iranian bases or militia bases on our northern border”. The following day, Defence Minister Benny Gantz posited that Iran had built “production facilities [in Syria] for mid- and long-range precise missiles and weapons, provided to Hizbollah and Iranian proxies. In other words, it became yet another Iranian front – a factory for advanced, strategic weapons”. “These sites, particularly the underground facility at Masyaf”, Gantz added, “host significant threats to the region and to the State of Israel… Masyaf, specifically, is used to produce advanced missiles”. He also said, “the Iranians are currently working to build missile and weapon industries in Lebanon and Yemen… If this trend will not be stopped, within a decade, there will be advanced Iranian industries across the region, producing weapons and spreading terror”.

The head of the Shin Bet contended that “Iran’s influence is evident in the terror arena wherever it is, in the countries [surrounding Israel], in the Palestinian arena, in Israel and in cyberspace… Iran is the origin of most of the [terror] phenomena in the region and it also has a significant part in the instability we are experiencing in the Palestinian arena”.

In a statement regarding meetings in Washington between Israel’s intelligence chief and senior U.S. officials, the Prime Minister’s office indicated that “the Director of the Mossad presented sensitive intelligence materials, and emphasised that Israeli will not be able to stand idly by while Iran continues to deceive the world... The Americans emphasised that they will not allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon and that they will continue to act in full cooperation with the State of Israel”. 

Syrian state media reported Israeli airstrikes at Aleppo International Airport, knocking out the runway.

Prime Minister Yair Lapid remarked that “we are carrying out an intensive campaign, the goal of which is to prevent the signing of a dangerous nuclear agreement between Iran and the major powers”. He further described Israel’s policy as “to continue the pressure but without going too far. To present credible intelligence, to be part of the process without destroying our special relationship with the U.S.… The reservations that we have presented to the American administration have been taken into account. We have also spoken with our other partners. Demands have been made of the Iranians”.

Syria state media reported Israeli airstrikes against targets in south east of Damascus and Aleppo International Airport; the latter attack caused “severe damage”, according to Syria’s foreign ministry, making the runway unusable. Syria’s foreign minister described the operations as “playing with fire” and warned: “Syria will not remain silent… and the Israelis will pay the price sooner or later”. “The U.S and Western countries should be held responsible for encouraging Israel to increase its aggressions”, he added.

President Biden conferred with Prime Minister Yair Lapid “to consult on global and regional security challenges, including threats posed by Iran” and reiterated the “U.S. commitment to never allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon”. The Israeli readout also noted Lapid underscoring “the importance of the strikes President Biden ordered in Syria”.

The Pentagon announced that Boeing had “been awarded a not-to-exceed $972,492,124 undefinitised contract action for four KC-46A aircraft for Israel”, to be completed by the end of 2026. Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz hailed the move as a “further proof of the [U.S.-Israel] alliance and the strategic relations… The refueling plans we are purchasing, along with the procurement of a new F-35 squadron, heavy transport helicopters, submarines and advanced armaments – will serve the IDF amid the enormous challenges, near and far, that are about to be faced”.

President Raisi insisted that “without the resolution of the safeguard issues, there is no meaning of an agreement [to revive the JCPOA], the agreement must be accompanied by the resolution of the safeguard issues and its termination”. Relatedly, a website close to Iran’s Supreme National Security Council contended: “[IAEA Director General] Rafael Grossi’s political and non-legal behaviour towards Iran could be considered a serious obstacle to the conclusion of the agreement in Vienna talks, and will also darken the prospect of providing the ground for the implementation of the initial commitments of parties”. The same day, Israeli President Herzog affirmed that “the IAEA’s independence is critical. It should be strictly adhered to, including its ability to investigate violations of nuclear developments in Iran”, adding: “The Iranian President's statement today is perfectly clear: it says, 'We don’t respect the independence of the IAEA to investigate open cases’, which are major cases involving enriched uranium, located by IAEA inspectors”.

President Raisi underscored that “the threats of the Zionist Regime [ie, Israel] have not –and will not- go anywhere. The assassination of our precious nuclear scientists… [and] many acts of vandalism and sedition were meant to stop us, but we did not”. He further warned that Israel “should first see whether it can deal with the resistance forces in Palestine… Yesterday, it could withstand their stones, but today, can they cope with their rockets?”. The same day, Israeli President Herzog contended that “Iran has sworn itself to Israel’s destruction and is working tirelessly to destabilise our region and the entire world… Iran’s activities cannot go unpunished. And most critically, such a state must not be allowed to possess nuclear capabilities”.

Prime Minister Yair Lapid, discussing talks to revive the JCPOA, maintained that “we are making a concerted effort to ensure the Americans and Europeans understand the dangers involved in this agreement”, while highlighting: “Israel is not opposed to an agreement. It is both possible and necessary to make Iran sign a much better agreement, one that the Americans themselves dubbed Longer & Stronger… We can reach such an agreement if a credible military threat is put on the table, if the Iranians realise that their defiance and deceit will exact a heavy price”. He further asserted: “We have the right to defend ourselves. If an agreement is signed, it will not oblige us. We are not a party to it and it will not limit our actions. The IDF and the Mossad have received instructions from us to prepare for any scenario”.

U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met with Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz and conferred on, inter alia, the “U.S. commitment to ensure Iran never obtains a nuclear weapon, and the need to counter threats from Iran and Iran-based proxies”. According to an Israeli readout, Gantz reaffirmed that “Israel opposes the nuclear agreement as was presented to relevant [U.S.] parties and emphasised several elements that are critical to the purpose of preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon”. He further emphasised the “importance of maintaining and advancing operational capabilities for both defensive and offensive purposes in face of Iran’s nuclear program, as well as its regional aggression. This is regardless of the discussion surrounding the agreement”. Gantz also visited CENTCOM headquarters during his U.S. visit.

The head of the Mossad contended that the U.S. was “rushing into an agreement [with Iran] that is a complete lie”, and underscored: “Israel is not signed on to the deal. Israel is permitted to defend itself any way possible - and will act this way. We cannot sit quietly and just watch as the danger grows closer”. He also briefed Prime Minister Yair Lapid on “the intelligence situation and the dangers involved in a return to the nuclear agreement”.

Syrian state media reported Israeli airstrikes around Hama and Tartous, injuring two and causing material damage.

Prime Minister Yair Lapid affirmed that “Israel is not against any agreement [with Iran]. We are against this agreement, because it is a bad one… In our eyes, it does not meet the standards set by President Biden himself: preventing Iran from becoming a nuclear state. This agreement endangers the independence of the IAEA”. Contending that an agreement would provide “a hundred billion dollars a year that will be used to undermine stability in the Middle East and spread terror around the globe”,  he asserted: “The sweeping removal of sanctions on sectors like banking… means the Iranians will have no problem whatsoever laundering money. Iran will assist other nations facing sanctions to evade them. They will be able to create a direct route for financing terror”. Lapid went on to maintain that “negotiations have reached the point where they [ie, Western powers] must stop and say ‘enough’”, while warning: “If a deal is signed, it does not obligate Israel. We will act to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear state. We are not prepared to live with a nuclear threat above our heads from an extremist, violent Islamist regime”.

Alternate Prime Minister Naftali Bennett urged the U.S. “to refrain, even now at this last minute, from signing the agreement with Iran. This agreement will send approximately a quarter of a trillion dollars to the Iranian terror administration’s pocket and to its regional proxies and will enable Iran to develop, install and operate centrifuges, with almost no restrictions, in a mere two years”. “Throughout the past year, even when it was very close, we successfully convinced our White House counterparts not to give in to Iranian demands. I hope this will remain the case”, he added. “One way or another, the State of Israel is not a party to the agreement. Israel is not committed to any of the restrictions stemming from the agreement and will utilise all available tools to prevent the Iranian nuclear program from advancing”. The same day, U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan met with his Israeli counterpart and reiterated  “President Biden’s steadfast commitment to preserve and strengthen Israel’s capability to deter its enemies and to defend itself by itself against any threat or combination of threats, including from Iran and Iranian-backed proxies; and our commitment to ensure Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon”.

Israel’s defence minister warned that a Hizbollah attack against maritime gas facilities “could trigger a reaction… leading to several days of fighting and to a military campaign. We are strong and prepared for this scenario, but we don’t want it”.

In a call with the president of France, Prime Minister Lapid “reiterated Israel’s opposition to a return to the [nuclear] agreement as well as the need for a clear and unequivocal message that there will be no additional concessions to the Iranians”. According to a readout from the Prime Minister’s office, Lapid asserted that “the Iranians are continuing to conduct negotiations on an offer which was presented as ‘take it or leave it’”, cautioning: “In that offer, there are new elements that go beyond the limits of the original JCPOA... It will pave the way for significant investment to flow into Iran’s terrorist network and to strengthening the Iranian military”.

Referring to U.S.-mediated maritime talks between Lebanon and Israel, Hizbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah warned that “whether a nuclear deal with Iran is signed or not, if the U.S. mediator does not give Lebanon what it asked for in terms of its rights, we are heading towards an escalation”. 

The IDF chief of staff revealed that during an early August escalation between Israel and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the military “had carried out a wave of arrests in [the West Bank], and at the same time attacked a third country, and carried out defence along the rest of the country’s borders”. Media speculation suggested that the third country may have been Yemen.

Prime Minister Yair Lapid expressed to Germany’s chancellor “Israel’s opposition to a return to the nuclear agreement, and the need for Europe to send a clear and unequivocal message that there will be no more concessions to Iran… Europe must oppose Iran buying time in negotiations”. Meeting the U.S. ambassador and a senior member of congress the same day, Lapid asserted: “the time has come to walk away from the table. Anything else sends a message of weakness to Iran… Now is the time to sit and talk about what to do going forward in order to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon”.

Prime Minister Yair Lapid expressed to Germany’s chancellor “Israel’s opposition to a return to the nuclear agreement, and the need for Europe to send a clear and unequivocal message that there will be no more concessions to Iran… Europe must oppose Iran buying time in negotiations”. Meeting the U.S. ambassador and a senior member of congress the same day, Lapid asserted: “the time has come to walk away from the table. Anything else sends a message of weakness to Iran… Now is the time to sit and talk about what to do going forward in order to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon”.

An EU official confirmed that Iran had responded to an EU-tabled draft that served as the basis for multilateral early August discussions in Vienna. Foreign Minister Amirabdollahian maintained that “there are three issues that if resolved, we can reach an agreement in the coming days”. A U.S. diplomatic spokesperson on 16 August noted that “we’re in the process of studying [Iran’s comments]. We are at the same time engaged in consultations with the EU and our European allies on the way ahead”. An unnamed Israeli official subsequently opined that “despite the differences and gaps, there is a momentum and a more positive dialogue toward reaching an agreement… Israel sees the current agreement as a bad agreement and emphasises to its partners the danger of signing such an agreement. The Iranians operate in a well-known tactic of shuffling and stalling for more concessions”.

Syrian state media reported that Israel had launched missiles against targets near Damascus and Tartous, killing three soldiers and injuring another three. Media reports citing Syrian sources suggested that the former site was manned by Hizbollah, and the latter said to be “an Iranian base”.

Syrian state media reported that Israel had fired “two tank missiles" at a village in Quneitra, injuring two.

Defence Minister Benny Gantz contended that “while the world watched ‘another escalation between Israel and Gaza’, I… emphasise: The Iranian ayatollahs are involved on this front. Islamic Jihad in Gaza is a violent Iranian proxy”. He added: “Iran provides Islamic Jihad in Gaza with tens of millions of dollars per year [and] via the IRGC, transfers know-how and attempts to smuggle materials to Gaza, which are then used to build weapons aimed at civilians”. Gantz went on to warn that “our eyes and targets focus on anyone who threatens the security of our citizens, from Khan Younis to Tehran... On the strategic level, Israel will continue to work with our partners in facing Iranian aggression, which harms security and stability everywhere, from the Israel-Gaza border, to the Mediterranean Sea, to the Gulf and beyond”.

Prime Minister Yair Lapid stated that Israel had “carried out a precise counter-terror operation against an immediate threat” after the IDF killed a senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad commander, a group he described as “an Iranian proxy that wants to destroy the State of Israel and kill innocent Israelis”. “The head of Islamic Jihad is in Tehran as we speak”, he noted. Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson condemned the attack as “criminal, adventurous and provocative”.

Prime Minister Yair Lapid emphasised to his British counterpart “the need to apply pressure and have a credible military threat, in order to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear threshold state”. The same day, Defence Minister Benny Gantz contended that “Iran is a global problem”, adding: “We are able to seriously harm and delay the nuclear [program]”. He further affirmed that “we are very unsatisfied with the [nuclear] agreement, which would be a bad agreement because it would be a temporary delay”.

Defence Minister Benny Gantz conferred with U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on “the growing threat posed by Iran to the world, the region and to the State of Israel via its nuclear program and growing aggression via proxies, maritime activities, cyber attacks and more, and ways to create a united front against the region’s biggest destabiliser”.

Syrian state media reported Israeli airstrikes against “some points in the vicinity of Damascus”, killing three soldiers and injuring seven. Syria’s foreign ministry wrote to the UN emphasising its “right to respond by appropriate means”, while contending: “These Israeli attacks cannot be treated in isolation from the U.S. aggression… and its occupation of north east Syria, its looting of oil and supplying of weapons to the militias hired by Washington in order to impede the political solution and the restoration of security and stability to Syria”. Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson denounced the attack, urging the UN Security Council “to deal with continuous crimes and high-risk conduct” of Israel.

Prime Minister Yair Lapid maintained that “Israel is interested in Lebanon being a stable and prosperous neighbour that is neither a platform for Hizbollah terrorism nor an Iranian tool… While we have no interest in escalation, Hizbollah’s aggression is unacceptable and is liable to lead the entire region into an unnecessary escalation, just when there is a genuine opportunity for Lebanon to develop its energy resources”. “Israel is taking action against all of Iran’s proxies in the region and beyond, and will continue to do so”, Lapid added. “Iran is the largest exporter of terrorism in the world. We will act on our own and in tandem with other countries in the region to prevent Iran from undermining regional stability”. The Prime Minister also flew over the Karish natural gas field and posited: “Israel’s natural gas reserves have the potential to contribute toward a solution for the global energy crisis. Lebanon could also benefit from developing the reserves in its economic waters, through negotiations, which should be concluded forthwith”.

The Israeli military reported downing a UAV “that likely belongs to the Hizbollah terrorist army [and] crossed from Lebanon into Israel”.

CENTCOM Commander Kurilla met with Israeli military officials to discuss “the importance of an integrated air and missile defence system, as well as the continued need for strong regional security cooperation”. According to a readout from Israel’s defence minister, the two sides also conferred “on developing regional challenges, including Iran’s destabilising activities via proxies and in the maritime arena”.

The Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation announced “the decision to open the Kingdom’s airspace for all air carriers that meet the requirement of the Authority for flying”. President Biden stated that “Saudi Arabia’s historic decision to open its airspace for all civilian planes, including those flying to and from Israel, is an important step towards building a more integrated and stable Middle East region”. “Saudi Arabia’s decision”, he added, “can help build momentum toward Israel’s further integration into the region, including with Saudi Arabia. I will do all that I can, through direct diplomacy and leader-to-leader engagement, to keep advancing this groundbreaking process”. Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid also welcomed the announcement as the result of “a long road of intense and covert diplomacy with Saudi Arabia and the U.S.”, noting: “This is only the first step”.

National Security Advisor Eyal Hulata asserted that “Israel will act as it sees fit. We’ve acted quite a lot in Iran over the past year, and the U.S. is backing us. We are acting with logic and responsibility, and everyone can see this isn’t harming the relationship between the U.S. president and Israel – on the contrary”.

Speaking alongside President Biden in Jerusalem, Prime Minister Yair Lapid said with respect to Iran that “world will stop them… Diplomacy will not stop them. The only thing that will stop Iran is knowing that if they continue to develop their nuclear program, the free world will use force. The only way to stop them is to put a credible military threat on the table”. Biden underscored “America’s commitment to ensuring Iran never obtains a nuclear weapon… I continue to believe that diplomacy is the best way to achieve this outcome”. He further affirmed that the U.S. would “continue to work with Israel to counter other threats from Iran throughout the region”. The two sides also issued The Jerusalem U.S.-Israel Strategic Partnership Joint Declaration, in which the U.S. said “it is prepared to use all elements of its national power” to prevent Iran acquiring a nuclear weapon. Meanwhile, President Raisi warned the U.S. and its regional allies that “Iran does not accept any insecurity and crisis in the region, and committing any mistake in this region will be responded with a decisive and regrettable response”; Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson declared: “As long as the fake state of Israel is the first stop on the American presidents visits to the region and their first goal is to maintain its security and superiority, the regional nations and countries will not achieve peace and stability”.

Hizbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah asserted that their 2 July drone operation over Karish maritime gas field was “a modest beginning to where the situation could be heading… The message of the drones meant that we are serious and we are not after a psychological war… Whatever we are supposed to do, we will without any hesitation. This message was understood by the Israelis and by the Americans”. “Whether our message was understood in Lebanon or not, we don’t care about that. What is important for us is that the enemy gets the message”, he added. He went on to warn that should the U.S. not “give us our rights that are demanded by the state and if you don’t allow companies to extract [oil] God knows what we will do. We will turn over the table in the face of the world”.

Prime Minister Yair Lapid urged the international community “to return to the UN Security Council and activate the sanctions mechanism at full force” after Iran increased its uranium enrichment capacity, adding: “Israel, for its part, reserves for itself full freedom of action, diplomatic and operational, in the fight against the Iranian nuclear program”. He further asserted that “Israel will not stand idly by while Iran tries to attack us. Our security services know how to reach anyone, anywhere – and they will do just that”.

A White House official noted that “bilaterally we’re talking with nations across the region about air defence capabilities specifically and what we can do to assist with their defence and then, exploring the idea of being able to kind of integrate all those air defenses together”. “There really is effective coverage to deal with Iran”, he added. Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson described the U.S. goal as “Iranophobia and division among the countries in the region”, while a website close to Iran’s Supreme National Security council warned: “Creation of joint defense pact in the region by the U.S. with participation and hidden management of Zionists [ie, Israel] is a threatening act. If the implementation of such plans threatens security of Iran in any way, it will face initial decisive response to the nearest and most accessible targets”.

Syrian state media reported that Israel had launched a rocket that struck near Quneitra, killing one.

Prime Minister Lapid noted that “there have been repeated attacks on Israeli gas rigs. Israel will not agree to this type of attacks on its sovereignty and everyone who does so must know they are taking an unnecessary risk to their well-being. The Government of Lebanon needs to restrain Hizbollah in the face of such attacks or we will be compelled to do so”. The same day, Defence Minister Benny Gantz contended that the 2 July incident aimed to “disrupt the negotiations that are taking place on the maritime border between Israel and Lebanon”, and called it “an attack on Lebanese citizens… [that] shows Hizbollah is an extension of the Ayatollah’s regime – operating to destabilise the region and to cause miscalculations”. On 6 July, the Israeli military reported that in late June it had intercepted “a drone belonging to Hizbollah which was heading from Lebanon towards Israel’s territorial waters… The drone was dropped a far distance from the maritime border, without posing a threat or danger to Israel”.

Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz contended that “Iran is expanding its aggressive operations in the region in general, and in the naval arena in particular”. Presenting satellite images, Gantz maintained that “the presence of Iran’s military forces in the Red Sea in recent months is the most significant in a decade. It is a direct threat to trade, energy and the global economy”.

Speaking alongside President Macron, Prime Minister Yair Lapid contended that “Iran is violating the [nuclear] agreement and continues to develop its nuclear program. Iran is hiding information from the world, it is enriching uranium beyond the level it is allowed to, and it has removed cameras from its nuclear sites. Given all this, the world must respond”. He further underlined the need for “a new deal with Iran… that is more efficient and better defined, a deal with no expiration date, a deal with coordinated international pressure that would prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear threshold state”. “The current situation cannot continue as it is”, he emphasised. “It will lead to a nuclear arms race in the Middle East, which would threaten world peace”.

Syrian state media reported that Israel had “carried out an air missile aggression… [against] several poultry farms” in western Syria, resulting in two civilian injuries and material damage.

The Israeli military announced that it had “intercepted three hostile UAVs from Lebanon which approached the airspace over Israel’s economic waters… An initial inquiry suggests that the UAVs did not pose any imminent threat”. Hizbollah claimed that its drones had conducted “reconnaissance” operations “over Karish maritime gas filed in the disputable zone”, adding: “The mission was completed and the messages were delivered”. The following day, Prime Minister Lapid contended that “Hizbollah is continuing on the path of terrorism and is hurting Lebanon’s ability to reach an ag