Israeli Economy Minister: We Must Attack Iran

Nir Barkat, the Israeli Economy Minister, stated in an interview with France 24 that "we must attack Iran," adding that the attack would target Tehran's nuclear capabilities. He described the Islamic Republic as a "head of a snake" that uses its proxy forces, including Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis in Yemen, to "suffocate" Israel. Barkat claimed that Iran's goal is to produce a "nuclear bomb" to "wipe out Israel." When asked if an Israeli attack on Iran could ignite a regional war, he responded that it is Israel that is in danger. Following the missile attack by Iran on Israel on October 1, Israeli officials have emphasized that they will not leave this attack unanswered. Yoav Gallant, the Israeli Defense Minister, stated that an Israeli attack on the Islamic Republic would be "surprising and lethal," to the extent that the Islamic Republic "will not understand what has happened to it." He did not provide further details. On October 10, U.S. President Joe Biden condemned the Iranian missile attack on Israel in a conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and reiterated America's ironclad commitment to Israel's security. Biden had previously stated that he would not support an Israeli attack on nuclear sites in Iran. In part of his conversation with France 24, Barkat also referred to Israel's war in Lebanon, stating that its goal is to eliminate "terrorist infrastructure" on Israel's northern border so that Israeli refugees can return home. He mentioned that Israel does not intend to occupy this area and emphasized that Hezbollah had planned an attack similar to the one on October 7 on Israel's northern border. In response to a question about civilian casualties in Gaza, Barkat said, "We have no choice; Israel did not start this war." He expressed a desire for Gaza to become a new Dubai that recognizes Israel as a legitimate country to live alongside, deeming this a better solution than the "two-state solution." The article also touches on controversies regarding an Air France flight coinciding with Iran's attack on Israel, with pilots reporting seeing missiles, ongoing ambiguity about the status of the Quds Force commander, and a conversation between Netanyahu and Biden about responding to the Iranian missile attack, which the White House described as "clear and substantive." Additionally, Narges Mohammadi questioned whether anyone hears their "no to war" message, while Egypt and Jordan expressed solidarity with Lebanon while criticizing Israel.