At a meeting of the Security Cabinet held Sunday night, ministers were briefed on Operation Roaring Lion in Iran. The assessments indicated that the war is expected to continue for at least several weeks, though no one can say beyond that, as developments on the ground will determine its duration.
Israeli officials familiar with the details said in the afternoon that the operation is proceeding exactly as planned. “There is no complication here. On the contrary, coordination between Israel and the United States is very tight,” they said.
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Netanyahu: ‘The day is approaching when the Iranian people will be able to topple the regime, we will stand by their side’
(Photo: Reuters)
The Cabinet meeting lasted until 1 a.m., with most of the discussion focusing on Lebanon after Hezbollah joined the fighting and fired toward the Carmel region and central Israel. Ministers approved what were described as powerful IDF operations in Lebanon. To the best of their knowledge, they have not yet discussed the possibility of a ground operation there.
Ministers also discussed the evacuation of Israelis and ways to return them to the country by air and sea.
The officials said it had been assumed from the outset that Hezbollah would join the fighting. “There was no surprise,” they said. “At this stage, they do not appear to be joining on a large scale, but Israel is using this to strike them hard and dismantle them. The logic is that after Israel attacks in Lebanon, there will be significant political pressure inside the country to disarm Hezbollah and growing delegitimization of the organization. There are already initiatives in Lebanon to disarm them. Part of the broader campaign against Iran is dismantling Hezbollah’s capabilities.”
“It is not known how long the campaign will last,” the officials said, after President Donald Trump said Sunday that the operation in Iran would “last four weeks, or less.” The officials added, “It is hard to believe the Americans will continue bombing for three to four weeks. That is being said to pressure the Iranians. They are waiting for a turning point, when it is clear the regime is losing control and someone emerges who can take control and with whom it is possible to speak. There will be a stage when Israel and the United States call on Iranians to take to the streets. We are not there yet, but we are getting closer.”
According to the officials, “More than 70% of the public in Iran does not want the regime, but taking to the streets involves risking one’s life. That is why Israel is carrying out additional actions that we believe will give the public more opportunity to go out into the streets. We are taking a wide range of measures to make it easier for the public to do what it needs to do, because ultimately they must take operational steps that will lead to a change of government. The regime in Iran is under heavy pressure and will seek revenge, so vigilance must be increased.”
They also referred to the Houthis in Yemen, who have not fired at Israel since the start of the operation. “We are prepared for missiles from their direction and also for a ground incursion by them. At the moment they are keeping their heads down, but preparations are in place. Under cover of the war in Iran, Israel is using the situation to remove all existential threats against it.”
The officials added that it was clear the Islamic Republic would fire at its Gulf neighbors. “It announced in advance that it would fire at all collaborators and American bases,” they said. According to them, 63% of the missiles Iran fired at Gulf states were aimed at the United Arab Emirates.
They added that the next stage would involve Iran targeting oil facilities in an attempt to drive up oil prices. “They believe that if they hit energy infrastructure, it will cause Gulf leaders to pressure Trump to stop the war. But so far the result is the opposite. It appears Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has entered the war,” they said.