Former Israeli Intelligence Chief Says US Strikes in Iran Aim to Pressure Revolutionary Guards Leadership

Hanan Gefen, former commander of Israel's Unit 8200, analyzed recent US military strikes in Iran during a Channel 14 interview on Monday. Gefen suggested that the attacks are designed to send a clear warning to the leadership of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) about the consequences of continuing their current policies. He noted that the strikes also aim to exploit internal political fractures and instability within Iran's ruling elite.

Gefen highlighted that the US is gradually expanding its campaign by targeting infrastructure and military bases across Iran to demonstrate it holds many additional potential targets. He pointed out unusual public statements by Iran's Foreign Minister as evidence of internal criticism and cracks within the regime that were previously not publicly visible.

The former intelligence officer also remarked on a power vacuum in Iran, partly due to the absence of Mojtaba Khamenei, a key figure in the regime, from public view. Gefen emphasized that in a centralized theocratic system where the Supreme Leader plays a crucial role, such absence deepens instability. He concluded that the US is leveraging this situation to increase pressure on the IRGC leadership, expecting their condition to worsen as the conflict continues, stating, "The question is when the Revolutionary Guards will understand that their situation deteriorates every week."