Key Points and Summary – The current ceasefire between Israel and Iran is fragile and likely temporary, with both sides expressing deep mutual distrust. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has warned that “immunity is over” for Iran, ordering the IDF to prepare an “enforcement plan” for future strikes against Iran’s nuclear program, missile production, and terror proxies.
-This comes as IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir declared that the recent strikes have set back Iran’s nuclear program by years, leaving it no longer a “nuclear threshold state.”
-Iran, in turn, has expressed “serious doubts” that Israel will comply with the ceasefire.
Israel Leaves No Doubt Iran Ceasefire Is Temporary
While many point to the Israeli and American airstrikes in Iran as a 12-Day War, the Jewish state unofficially refers to this day as 633 at war, dating to the October 7 attack on its homeland by proxies of Iran.
The mutual distrust between the two nations leaves little doubt that this current ceasefire is merely a temporary one. And Israel has stated that it will maintain air superiority over Iran.
On Friday, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to prepare an “enforcement plan” against Iran that includes a clear threat of future airstrikes against the Islamic Republic.
Iranian agents were arrested for planning to assassinate Katz by planting explosives close to his home and detonating them as he passed by in his car.
The plan includes the Israeli Air Force (IAF) maintaining air superiority over Iran, preventing nuclear advancement and ballistic missile production, and responding to Iran for supporting activities via their proxy groups against Israel.
“Immunity Is Over”
Katz warned Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and his regime that Israel would be “maintaining Israel’s air superiority, preventing nuclear advancement and missile production, and responding to Iran for supporting terrorist activities against the State of Israel,” Katz proclaimed on X, formerly Twitter.
“We will act consistently to thwart threats of this kind. I suggest that the toothless snake’s head in Tehran understand and beware that Operation Rising Lion was only a ‘preview of a new Israeli policy: After October 7, immunity is over.'”
The Israelis’ actions were a master class in combining asymmetric tactics of unleashing 200 small drones that were smuggled into Iran from Mossad and Israeli Special Operations troops, which took Iran by surprise.
Then, the IAF aircraft unleashed air strikes on targets and also targeted senior Iranian military leaders and scientists aligned with the nuclear program. It decapitated Iran’s leadership and crushed its air defenses and its ballistic missile production.
Iran Has ‘Serious Doubts’ Of Israel’s Commitment to Cease Fire, It Should
Meanwhile, the Iranian regime, too, has a distrust of the Israelis in this ceasefire.
“We did not start the war, but we have responded to the aggressor with all our power,” new Iranian Forces chief of staff, Abdolrahim Mousavi, was quoted as saying by state television, referring to Israel.
“We have serious doubts over the enemy’s compliance with its commitments, including the ceasefire. We are ready to respond with force if attacked again,” he added.
Iran’s leaders have repeatedly vowed to eradicate Israel and fund a so-called Axis of Resistance of terror proxies in the region that attack Israel.
Despite the Iranians insisting that their nuclear program was strictly for peaceful purposes, Iran had been enriching uranium to 60 percent, a level that has no civilian application and a short step from the 90 percent needed for a weapon.
After the initial wave of Israeli airstrikes, Iran responded by launching over 500 ballistic missiles and about 1,000 drones at Israel, killing 28 people and wounding several thousand, according to Israeli health officials.
The missiles hit apartment buildings, a university, and a hospital, as well as critical infrastructure sites, causing considerable damage.
Israel’s Pre-Emptive Strike Stopped Iran’s Nuclear Weapons Program
Israel launched the opening strike of Operation Rising Lion on June 13. Israel claims that the extensive assault on Iran’s senior military officials, nuclear scientists, uranium enrichment facilities, and ballistic missile program was essential to thwart the Islamic Republic’s declared intention to annihilate the Jewish state.
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said that Iran is no longer a nuclear threshold state following the Israeli and US strikes on its nuclear program, a source told The Times of Israel on Friday.
While Iran may still maintain parts of its nuclear program, it has been set back by years, Zamir has said, the source said, given the damage suffered by Iran to the entire bomb-making process, including the elimination of key scientists and the attacks on key nuclear facilities and other elements of manufacture and weaponization.
And while Iran has deployed heavy equipment to the Fordow nuclear site to clear its entrances. But if Israel or the US senses any new enrichment production taking place, the bombers will once again be flying. Of that, there is no doubt.
About the Author:
Steve Balestrieri is a National Security Columnist. He served as a US Army Special Forces NCO and Warrant Officer. In addition to writing on defense, he covers the NFL for PatsFans.com and is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA). His work was regularly featured in many military publications.
Military Matters
Russia’s Su-57 Felon Stealth Fighter Is a Waste of Rubles
