Israeli Finance Minister Says Israel Has No Interest in Joining US-Iran Conflict

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich stated on Tuesday that Israel currently has no interest in joining the ongoing conflict between Iran and the United States. Speaking at the "Harvest for National Responsibility" conference organized by the Gush Katif Heritage Center, Smotrich described the current limited confrontation between Iran and the US as the best possible scenario for Israel. He emphasized that Israel's goal is to destabilize and ultimately overthrow the Iranian regime, which he described as seeking Israel's destruction.

Smotrich advocated for economic pressure as the most effective means to bring down the Iranian government, highlighting the renewed US sanctions on the Strait of Hormuz under former President Trump. He cited Iran's severe economic distress, including an 85% inflation rate, over 134% food inflation in four months, and a currency exchange rate of 1.9 million rials to the dollar.

He warned that if Iran attacks Israel, it would face a very strong military response, praising the Israel Defense Forces' capabilities and suggesting that a political decision to launch airstrikes in Iran could be imminent. Smotrich also addressed internal Israeli politics, urging unity within the right-wing camp ahead of elections to avoid vote splitting, which he linked to the 1992 election outcome that led to the Oslo Accords. He called for at least ten Knesset seats for the nationalist camp to continue advancing security, settlement, Jewish identity, and judicial reforms.

Regarding criticism of the IDF Chief of Staff, Smotrich expressed strong support for the military leadership and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Benny Gantz, condemning recent harsh remarks against the Chief of Staff, including from within the right-wing camp. He praised the IDF, intelligence services, and Israel's international allies as the best in the world, underscoring Israel's strong defense posture amid regional tensions.