Israel to Intensify Airstrikes: Iran and Europe in Talks
Kanako Mita, Sawako Utsumi, and Lee Jay Walker
Modern Tokyo Times
The Defense Minister of Israel, Israel Katz, called for the intensification of airstrikes against Iran.
This comes at a time when European foreign ministers are holding talks with Iran to stem the crisis. Accordingly, the flip-flop nature of the administration of President Donald Trump in America appears to be opening a two-week opportunity for Iran to back down and abide by important requests concerning their nuclear program.
Other important matters are also on the table, including Iran ending its support for Hamas and Hezbollah, curbing the Houthis in Yemen to stop disruptions in vital sea lanes, ensuring transparency in its nuclear program, and addressing other key regional issues.
The BBC reports, “The fact that UK Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, and Britain’s ambassador to the US, Lord Peter Mandelson, spent almost three quarters of an hour talking to America’s Secretary of State Marco Rubio and White House special envoy Steve Witkoff in Washington last night is being seen as an encouraging sign by European diplomats.”
President Emmanuel Macron of France outlined four main areas that Iran must address: a complete halt to uranium enrichment and full cooperation with the United Nations atomic watchdog, oversight and restrictions on its ballistic missile program, an end to the financing and support of regional terrorist networks, and the release of political prisoners and dual nationals held within Iran.
Macron said, “Iran must show that it is willing to join the platform for negotiations we are putting on the table.”
Saeed Khatibzadeh (Iran Deputy Foreign Minister) said, “The moment this aggression stops, of course, diplomacy is the first option.”
Abbas Araghchi (Iran’s Foreign Minister) said, “The Americans want negotiations and have sent messages several times, but we have clearly said that there is no room for dialogue until the [aggression stops].”
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Israel Air Force (IAF) understand that Iran is rattled by the systematic bombing of important military and nuclear sites. For example, the IAF recently bombed the Arak heavy water reactor. At the same time, the IDF is assassinating important Iranian military and nuclear scientific elites.
The initial Israeli airstrikes against Iranian military infrastructure indicate a heightened operational capability of the IAF to project power deep into Iranian territory, including Tehran. The degradation of Iran’s air defense systems in these early phases not only reduces the immediate threat to Israeli aircraft but also enhances the strategic freedom of action for follow-on strikes. This creates a more permissive environment for the IAF to target critical facilities with increased precision and reduced risk.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel said the IDF launched its war against the Iranian regime “to roll back the Iranian threat to Israel’s very survival.”
Katz – seeking the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei – said, “We determined that the war’s objectives are harming the nuclear program and removing the existential threat to Israel, and within that – the IDF has been instructed and knows that to achieve all objectives, this man should not continue to exist.”
Both Defense Minister Katz and the IDF recognize that Iran has been rattled by the apparent ease with which the IAF was able to strike critical infrastructure within Iranian territory. This perception reinforces Israel’s assessment of a strategic vulnerability within Iran, regardless of any retaliatory drone or missile attacks Tehran may launch. The Israeli leadership interprets Iran’s reactive posture as a sign of underlying weakness, rather than strength.
America is giving Europe a limited voice while it ponders joining Israel in the military dismantlement of Iran’s nuclear program. Hence, Iran is being pushed into a corner – irrespective of denials.
Israel does not intend for the current conflict to remain in a state of suspension. On the contrary, Israeli leadership is signaling a clear demand for behavioral change from Iran, warning that failure to comply will result in continued and potentially escalated consequences. This stance reflects a strategic decision to maintain pressure on Tehran, aiming to deter further aggression rather than settle into a temporary stalemate.
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