Israeli security officials have informed their American counterparts that Iran’s ballistic missile programme constitutes an existential threat, and that the Israeli occupation is prepared to act unilaterally against Tehran if necessary.
The Jerusalem Post cited security sources saying that Israel’s intention to dismantle Iran’s missile capabilities and its production infrastructure has been communicated in recent weeks through a series of high level exchanges.
According to the report, military officials have presented operational plans aimed at weakening the programme, including strikes on key manufacturing sites.
One source was quoted as saying: “We informed the Americans that we will strike alone if Iran crosses the red line we have set regarding ballistic missiles. Israel has not yet reached that threshold, but it is closely monitoring developments inside Iran.”
Officials stressed that Israel “retains freedom of action” and affirmed that it “will not allow Iran to rebuild strategic weapons systems on a scale that threatens Israel’s existence”.
One Israeli official described the current situation as a “historic opportunity to deliver a powerful blow to Iran’s missile infrastructure and neutralise active threats to Israel and neighbouring states”.
During recent discussions, “Israel” also presented plans to target additional facilities linked to the missile programme, according to one official.
Several officials also expressed concern that US President Donald Trump may adopt a model of limited strikes, similar to recent American operations against the Houthis in Yemen, a scenario they fear would leave vital Iranian capabilities intact.
Another military official said: “The concern is that he may choose a limited number of targets, declare success, and leave Israel to deal with the consequences, just as he did with the Houthis.” He added that partial measures would not eliminate the core threat.
The newspaper noted that within the Israeli military, Brigadier General Omar Tischler, the designated commander of the air force, is expected to accompany Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on his upcoming visit to the United States.
