Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu unveiled a new security doctrine on Sunday that places Iran at the centre of Israel’s strategic priorities, declaring his government’s readiness to launch a pre-emptive attack on Tehran’s nuclear programme without American support or prior coordination with Washington.
The announcement came during a security briefing in which Netanyahu outlined Israel’s strategic priorities in what was described as the first security doctrine he has formulated in nearly a decade.
Netanyahu identified the overthrow of Iran’s government as a strategic objective of Israel’s security establishment, stressing that decisions on military action would not depend on American approval. He said Israel would seek to operate as independently as possible.
The Israeli prime minister claimed that “90 per cent of the work” against Iran had already been completed, citing the country’s economic crisis and domestic protests as indicators of what he viewed as the Iranian authorities’ weakening position.
He called for a shift away from a strategy of “containment and defence” towards a more offensive military doctrine centred on pre-emptive strikes.
The proposed approach also includes expanding Israel’s domestic weapons manufacturing capabilities and reducing its dependence on American military assistance and arms exports.
Iran, Missiles and Drone Swarms Dominate Israel’s Threat Assessment
Netanyahu placed Iran’s nuclear programme, its intercontinental ballistic missile project and the potential reorganisation of Tehran’s regional alliance network at the top of Israel’s security threats.
He also warned of the growing danger posed by unmanned aerial vehicles, particularly coordinated drone swarms capable of attacking critical infrastructure and disrupting command-and-control systems.
According to Netanyahu, Israel has begun deploying defensive systems and testing technological solutions intended to counter these threats.
The security assessment extended beyond conventional military capabilities to include precision-guided missiles, cyberattacks and emerging technological challenges associated with artificial intelligence and quantum computing.
Netanyahu also identified the proliferation of illegal weapons within Israel as a domestic security concern.
Another priority involved the possibility of cross-border infiltration and large-scale incursions. Netanyahu disclosed plans to construct a security barrier along Israel’s eastern border, intended to prevent ground infiltrations and drone attacks.
On the regional front, he raised the possibility of cooperation between Iran and the Muslim Brotherhood, which he associated with Turkish leadership.
At the same time, Netanyahu acknowledged that shared interests between Israel and certain regional countries were creating opportunities for covert cooperation, pointing to security relationships that may develop outside publicly acknowledged diplomatic arrangements.
Netanyahu Claims Personal Responsibility for Major Military Decisions
Turning to Israel’s military and security decisions since the attacks of 7 October 2023, Netanyahu asserted that he had personally made the most consequential decisions during that period.
He claimed that some of those decisions were taken against the positions of the majority of Israel’s senior security officials, presenting himself as the central decision-maker on matters of national security.
His remarks addressed the continuing internal debate over responsibility for Israel’s military and intelligence decisions following the October 2023 attacks.
Gaza Reconstruction Conditioned on Complete Demilitarisation
Regarding the Gaza Strip, Netanyahu reaffirmed that Israel would not permit the reconstruction of infrastructure before achieving comprehensive disarmament and complete demilitarisation.
He also referred to a proposal he described as the “Emirati bubble”, located near what Israel calls its “security zone”.
The comments indicated that Netanyahu intends to maintain Israeli security conditions on reconstruction in Gaza, making the restoration of infrastructure contingent on the elimination of military capabilities.
Netanyahu Downplays Scale of Israeli Settler Violence
In the occupied West Bank, Netanyahu addressed attacks carried out by Israeli settlers against Palestinians.
He claimed that the scale of settler violence had been exaggerated as part of a propaganda campaign, although he acknowledged that the phenomenon posed a serious problem.
Describing the violence and disturbances as a “tearing apart of the law” that damaged the state, Netanyahu said he had instructed Israel’s domestic security agency, Shin Bet, to take measures aimed at eliminating the phenomenon.
His comments combined an attempt to dispute the scale of reported settler attacks with an acknowledgement that the violence required intervention by Israel’s internal security apparatus.
October 7 Investigation: Netanyahu Rejects Inquiry Led by Supreme Court President
Netanyahu also addressed the unresolved controversy surrounding investigations into Israel’s security and intelligence failures during the attacks of 7 October 2023.
He said that, if re-elected, he would resume the State Comptroller’s examination of the events and work towards establishing a commission of inquiry.
However, he rejected the establishment of an official commission headed by Supreme Court President Yitzhak Amit.
Netanyahu justified his opposition by alleging that Amit held preconceived political positions, raising objections to his suitability to lead an investigation into the events.
His position reflects the continuing dispute within Israel over the mechanisms for investigating the October 7 failures and determining political and institutional responsibility.
A Doctrine of Military Independence and Pre-emptive Action
The security doctrine presented by Netanyahu signals an effort to expand Israel’s freedom to undertake military action while strengthening its domestic arms industry and reducing reliance on the United States.
Iran occupies the central position in that strategy, with Netanyahu identifying the country’s nuclear and missile capabilities, regional alliances and political leadership as major objectives of Israeli security planning.
The doctrine also links conventional military threats with technological vulnerabilities, border security and shifting regional relationships.
Its presentation comes as Israel continues to confront internal disagreements over responsibility for the October 2023 security failures, the conduct of its military leadership and the political independence of any future investigation.
