National security adviser Tzachi Hanegbi is hinting that the US approved an Israeli strike on Iran. Hanegbi made the comments after returning from meetings in Washington with top US officials to discuss the Iranian nuclear threat.
The US and Israel reached “important and significant understandings,” Hanegbi tweeted without elaborating. He added that Washington and Jerusalem agreed to bolster their coordination in order to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
In a further hint, Hanegbi told Now 14 News that Israel knows how to defend itself on its own. He stressed that this was not an empty slogan, and said that the Americans understand this as well.
During the interview, Hanegbi warned that Iran would make a “fateful strategic mistake” if it advanced toward an atomic bomb. “The State of Israel will never accept nuclear weapons, and 90% enrichment is on the verge of nuclear weapons,” he said.
Netanyahu warns Iran
The national security adviser refused to provide operational details about Israel’s readiness for a strike. However, Israeli F-35 fighter jets will soon practice an attack on Iran with the US Air Force.
Meanwhile, PM Netanyahu told Italian daily La Repubblica that Tehran should know that Israel will do everything it can to prevent Iran from “becoming a nation on the threshold of nuclear power.” The phrasing could also imply that 90% enrichment is a red line for a military attack.
Analysis: Hanegbi’s remarks do not imply that an Israeli attack is imminent. But the comments suggest that Israel and the US agree on the conditions that will trigger a military strike. This could be 90% enrichment or another undisclosed red line.
Notably, defense officials said previously that the US will support an Israeli assault on the Iranian nuclear project. Hanegbi himself said earlier that Netanyahu will order the IDF to attack Iran if necessary.
Here’s more on Israel’s red lines and timeline for a strike.
