Israel: We Are Not Close to a Preventive Strike; Iran Is Not Enriching Uranium to Our Red Line

Israel's National Security Advisor, Tzachi Hanegbi, stated on Friday, July 9, that Israel is currently not close to a preventive strike on Iran's nuclear facilities, referring to reports of indirect negotiations between Tehran and Washington aimed at reducing tensions. In an interview with Channel 13, he said, "It is still unclear what the outcome of the recent negotiations between the United States, Israel's main ally, and Iran, aimed at limiting Tehran's nuclear program and reducing tensions, will be." He also responded to whether Israel is close to deciding on a preventive strike against Iran, saying, "We are not close, as the Iranians have halted their activities for some time and are not enriching uranium to the level that we consider a red line." He added, "But it may happen. Therefore, we are preparing for the moment when, if it comes, we must defend the people of Israel against a fanatical regime that intends to destroy us and is equipped with weapons of mass destruction." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared Iran's uranium enrichment to a purity of 90% as Israel's "red line." In recent years, Iran has enriched uranium to a purity of 60%. Iranian and Western officials have met to outline steps that could prevent the rapid advancement of Iran's nuclear program after the failure to revive the 2015 nuclear agreement, which had limited Tehran's enrichment to 3.67%. This agreement aimed to complicate the development of nuclear weapon production tools, a claim that Iran denies. Former U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew from this agreement in 2018 and reimposed sanctions that crippled Iran's economy.