Israel Warns Iran: Attack Us, Face Unrestricted Retaliation

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a stark warning to Tehran on Thursday, stating that an Iranian attack on Israel would remove all limitations on Israel's response. Speaking at a New Year's toast event for the Ministry of Defense staff, Katz asserted that such an attack would lead Israel to strike all military and civilian national infrastructure in Iran, including energy facilities, pushing the country back into the "Stone Age."

Katz explained that the Iranian regime, facing severe economic pressure and the threat of internal uprising and regime collapse, might resort to desperate measures. He referenced past Israeli actions, claiming that Iran's reluctance to attack Israel stems from previous decisive strikes, the destruction of its nuclear program, the elimination of Ayatollah Khamenei, and significant damage to its strategic capabilities, which have maintained a deterrence balance.

Simultaneously, the Wall Street Journal reported that U.S. President Donald Trump is considering a formal declaration that the conflict with Iran has ended. This consideration follows confidential discussions about a public statement, with sources indicating Trump leans towards a positive stance. The U.S. administration believes that economic pressure and sanctions have sufficiently choked Iran, potentially forcing it to abandon its nuclear ambitions or leading to its internal collapse.

In parallel, U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth signed an order extending the deployment of American forces throughout the Middle East until 2027.