Israeli Minister's Prediction on the Consequences of a Military Confrontation Between Iran and the U.S. for Israel

A member of Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet in Israel warned on Wednesday, April 8, about several scenarios regarding the consequences of a potential military confrontation between Iran and the U.S. According to the Jerusalem Post, quoting Yoav Galant, a senior minister in the Israeli government, if the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA leads to a military confrontation between Tehran and Washington, Israel must be prepared for the consequences. Mr. Galant, who is a serious critic of the nuclear agreement known as the JCPOA, stated that if Iran and the U.S. come face to face, Tehran 'may activate Hezbollah against Israel.' He explained that Iranian officials 'see us as part of America, the fifty-first state.' Mr. Galant also predicted that if the Islamic Republic acts against U.S. interests, Donald Trump will respond to Iran in a 'different' manner than previous U.S. presidents. Mr. Trump has been a staunch critic of the Islamic Republic and especially the nuclear agreement, frequently blaming Barack Obama for the deal with Tehran. This minister's remarks come as there are less than two months until the deadline set by the U.S. President to address the 'flaws' in this nuclear agreement, which ends on May 12, 2018. Meanwhile, alongside the Trump administration, Israel and Saudi Arabia have strongly supported Trump's position, and the appointment of figures like Mike Pompeo at the State Department and John Bolton at the White House has intensified speculation that the U.S. is closer than ever to exiting the JCPOA. Mr. Bolton, who briefly served as the U.S. ambassador to the UN during George W. Bush's administration, is known for his hardline positions regarding the Islamic Republic and North Korea. He previously stated in an interview that the U.S. government should support efforts for 'regime change' in Iran, as he believes this is the 'only long-term solution' to counter the threats posed by the Tehran government in the Middle East. This point seems to have prompted the Israeli minister's warning that in the event of a military confrontation between Iran and the U.S., Iranian officials may also activate Hezbollah against Israel. Yoav Galant further stated that the U.S. and the world should dismantle the JCPOA and re-impose sanctions on Iran to change Tehran's 'current path.' According to Mr. Galant, this 'current path' involves efforts to create a Shiite crescent extending from the Persian Gulf and Iran to Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and the Mediterranean Sea. He believes that if this occurs, Israel and Jordan will be 'surrounded by Iran's supporters, namely Shiite militias, Hezbollah, and others.' Iran has a widespread and active presence in its western countries, namely Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon, which are located north of Israel and Jordan. On the other hand, the Islamic Republic supports the Shiite Houthi rebels in Yemen, who are currently fighting against the Saudi coalition and have also launched missile attacks into Saudi territory; Saudi Arabia is the southern neighbor of Israel and Jordan. In February of last year, Israel reported downing an 'Iranian drone' in northern Israeli airspace and then a wave of extensive attacks against 'Iranian and Syrian targets' in Syria. At that time, Israel confirmed that one of its fighter jets crashed in Israeli airspace while returning from an attack in Syria, and its two pilots were rescued. Following this incident, Yoav Galant, who is also a reserve general in the Israeli army, along with other officials in the country, warned that 'from now on, anything related to Iran in Syria is a target.'