The picture with Iran is growing more interesting by the day. Now Israel is chiming in again, not militarily (yet) but rhetorically. On Thursday, at a Jewish New Year event with Defense Ministry staffers, Defense Minister Israel Katz warned that if Iran launches any attack against Israel, it can and should expect an overwhelming response aimed at Iran's energy infrastructure.
Defense Minister Israel Katz warns that if Iran attacks Israel, the military will target all of the regime’s infrastructure, “including energy infrastructure.”
“There are signs we are seeing that indicate that the heavy economic pressure Iran is under and the fear of an uprising and the fall of the regime could push them to desperate measures,” Katz says at a Jewish New Year toast with Defense Ministry employees.
“An Iranian attack on Israel will free us from all constraints. We will strike all infrastructure — including energy infrastructure — and return Iran to the Stone Age and darkness,” he says.
An attack on Israel, which has not been militarily involved for some months, would pretty much be the definition of an act of desperation. However, it wouldn't be an unexpected act of desperation; the elimination of Israel has been a primary goal of the Iranian theocracy since 1979, and if the regime sees the endgame coming, they may well marshal what forces they have left and lash out at the country they have called the Lesser Satan for decades.
Katz emphasized that the Iranian regime "knows very well" why it has recently avoided attacking Israel.
"We attacked them with force," said Katz. "We destroyed their nuclear program, we assassinated (former supreme leader) Khamenei, and we severely damaged their strategic capabilities."
He added that the heavy economic pressure being applied by US sanctions against Iran is "likely" to push the regime "to the brink of destruction."
The United States has, to date, not launched attacks specifically aimed at Iran's energy infrastructure; at least, not yet. While Israel isn't about to present a target list (nor should they) one likely target, if Israel were to respond to any attempt from Iran, would be Kharg Island. Indeed, the neutralization of Kharg Island, through which around 90 percent of Iran's oil exports flow, may be the last straw that breaks the Iranian camel's back. The likely reason that this key chokepoint hasn't yet been taken out is because any new Iranian government will rely heavily on renewed oil exports to repair all the damage done to the country by the recent American and Israeli attacks and by almost half a century of destructive rule of the Islamic Republic.
The Israeli Prime Minister also spoke on the issue.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that a potential attack from Tehran would be "one of their last decisions," as he addressed the ongoing fighting in the Gaza Strip and threats from Iran during a visit to the Afiki Daat Hesder Yeshiva in Sderot on Wednesday.
“Pay attention also to what is happening with Iran," said Netanyahu. "They are attacking and threatening everyone, but not here, because they already know what the significance of an attack against Israel would be."
The result of an attack against Israel would be, as the Defense Minister noted, a significant response by Israel aimed at Iran's energy infrastructure, and it's a sure thing that what's left of the Iranian regime knows this. But the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps still has primary control of what's left of Iran's military, and they are not reasonable or rational people; if they see the curtain starting to come down, they may well try just one more major attack. The very fact that Israel is issuing statements about the possibility would indicate that they are already evaluating that as a serious threat.
Desperate men do desperate things. An attack in Israel, at this juncture, would be the very definition of an act of desperation. That doesn't mean the IRGC won't try it. As I've said from the beginning, the IRGC sure appears to be willing to go down swinging.
Editor's Note: President Trump is leading America into the "Golden Age" as Democrats desperately try to stop it.
Help us continue to report on President Trump's successes and combat Democrats' lies. Join RedState VIP and use promo code FIGHT to receive 60% off your membership.
Join the Conversation
VIP members get the ability to comment on articles.