Gantz: “Israel Is Prepared To Strike Iran”

Defense Minister Benny Gantz said on Thursday that Israel is prepared to strike Iran.

He was asked in an interview with Ynet if Israel is prepared to attack Iran if necessary and he answered, “Yes.”

“Iran seeks to pose a multi-front challenge to Israel and is building up its forces in Lebanon and Gaza, deploying militias in Syria and Iraq and maintaining its supporters in Yemen,” Gantz said. “Iran is a worldwide and regional problem and a challenge to Israel.”

“When a Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist in Gaza fires on Israel, he does it with the support of Iran,” Gantz asserted. “We know this and are dealing with it on a number of levels, in various ways and in several different places.”

However, Gantz added that “Israel is focusing on garnering the cooperation of the international community since, “Iran is not just an Israeli problem. The whole world needs to deal with Iran, the region needs to deal with Iran, and Israel also needs to carry out its part.”

The interviewer asked if Gantz meant that the international community will “deal with Iran” by engaging in military action against Iran and he answered in the affirmative.

“We are at a point where we need to take military action against Iran,” Gantz said. “The world needs to take action against Iran now.”

Last week, Iran attacked the Israeli-operated Mercer Street, killing its Romanian captain as well as a British crew member who worked for Ambrey, a maritime security firm.

Ambrey identified the victim as Adrian Underwood, who served in the British Army before starting at the firm as a maritime security officer in 2020 before becoming a team leader.

“Adrian was a former soldier in the British Army with a distinguished record of service,” Ambrey’s director John Thompson said.

“He came to work for Ambrey in 2020 and his qualities were quickly recognized as he was rapidly promoted from maritime security officer to team leader.”

Earlier this week, Iranian hijackers seized a vessel off the coast of the United Arab Emirates in the Gulf of Oman.