Israel's Defense Minister Warns Iran of Severe Retaliation

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz sent a Rosh Hashanah greeting to the Jewish community in Iran, coupled with a stark warning to the Iranian regime. He expressed solidarity with Iranian Jews, calling them part of a "glorious Jewish history" and wishing them a "good and safe year."

Katz also extended a wish to the Iranian people for a "liberated Tehran" in the coming year. However, he issued a direct threat to Tehran's leadership, stating that any attack on Israel would be met with a "devastating blow" that Iran has "never sustained before."

He specified that such a response could include targeting Iran's "central energy facilities," which he claimed supply resources for Iran's "war and terror apparatus" and harm Israeli citizens. Katz emphasized that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) are "alert and ready" to carry out such a mission, acting on directives from Prime Minister Netanyahu and himself.

The Defense Minister asserted that such a strike would set Iran back "decades" and further destabilize the "reviled Ayatollah regime." This warning comes amid heightened regional tensions, with security officials believing that severe U.S. economic pressure on Iran might push Tehran toward aggressive actions. The IDF is increasing its vigilance due to escalating U.S.-Iran tensions, fearing that a clash between the two could broaden into a wider conflict that includes attacks on Israel.