Israeli Chief of Staff: We Must Prevent Iran from Becoming the Second North Korea

The Chief of Staff of the Israeli Army states that the recent elections in Iran showed that Iranians desire change, but the commanders of the Revolutionary Guard are seeking to advance their goals in the region, including provoking Israel. According to Israeli media, General Gadi Eisenkot, speaking at the Herzliya security-political conference in Israel on Tuesday, June 30, added: "Iran sees itself as a regional power; Hezbollah receives $800 million annually from Iran, Iran's influence in Syria and its foothold in Gaza are strengthened through the influence of Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Hamas, and Hamas's warfare methods have increasingly resembled those of Hezbollah." The Chief of Staff of the Israeli Army stated that "maintaining calm is Israel's primary interest," but in his description, "preventing the strengthening of Iran's military industry is a security objective for the entire region, and global efforts should be directed towards preventing Iran from becoming another North Korea." General Eisenkot also referred to the Israeli Army's initial assessment of Iran's unprecedented missile attack on Deir ez-Zor in Syria in recent days, adding that reports regarding the practical results of Iran's actions have been "exaggerated." According to Tasnim News Agency, the Revolutionary Guard announced that in retaliation for the attack on the Iranian Parliament and the tomb of Ayatollah Khomeini on Sunday evening, June 28, they targeted "the command center and gathering and support centers for the construction of suicide vehicles for Takfiri terrorists in the Deir ez-Zor region in eastern Syria" with missiles. According to Khabar Online, the Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guard stated that 85 people were killed as a result of this missile attack. Meanwhile, Fars News Agency reported that the public relations office of the Revolutionary Guard announced on Wednesday that 170 people were killed. Meanwhile, Haaretz reported, citing Israeli military officials, that only two out of seven Iranian missiles hit their intended targets. In this context, the Chief of Staff of the Israeli Army stated that Iran's use of its missiles in the attack on Syria contained a "specific message," although most of the missiles fired by Iran did not hit their intended targets. General Eisenkot further stated that Iran's efforts to produce more advanced missiles are part of the Iranian regime's ambition to establish its desired hegemony in the region. A day earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that he has a message for Iran: do not threaten Israel. "Determination to prevent more weapons from reaching Hezbollah" and "humanitarian aid" in Syria The Chief of Staff of the Israeli Army stated at the Herzliya conference that Israel "will act decisively to prevent more advanced weapons from reaching Hezbollah, Iran's ally." Some Israeli military experts have recently expressed concern that the delivery of missiles such as Qiam and Zulfiqar from Iran to Hezbollah in Lebanon could turn out to be detrimental to Israel in future military crises between Hezbollah and Israel. In this context, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported on Tuesday, June 30, that contacts between Israeli military personnel and some moderate Syrian opposition groups at the Syrian-Israeli border have increased. However, General Eisenkot said at the Herzliya conference that Israel "will continue to provide some humanitarian assistance, including medical treatment to some Syrians at the border." General Eisenkot also stated that the Israeli Army is assisting the U.S. Army and the international coalition in the Middle East, and these collaborations are reflected in the improvement of relations between Israel and moderate countries in the Middle East; some relationships have significantly improved in recent years, while others remain hidden. In this context, the U.S. State Department says it is "closely monitoring" Iran's missile program.