Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned the ayatollah regime in Tehran on the occasion of the IDF chief handover ceremony Monday that his government will not hesitate to defend Israel if its security was at stake.
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The comments were made at the special gathering at the Prime Minister's Office event, during which Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi was given a sendoff as his replacement Maj. Gen. Herzi Halevi got promoted to the highest-ranking position, just hours before a ceremony at General Staff headquarters in Tel Aviv.
Video: Reuters
"Today the Israeli government has identified the danger and has given the IDF the directive to make contingencies to counter our existential threat," Netanyahu said. "The Iranian regime is threatening to wipe us out, and we will not wait for a sharp sword to be placed against our neck; the IDF, together with the Shin Bet security agency and the Mossad, will do their utmost to respond in kind to our enemies." Netanyahu added that Israel will not be "dragged into pointless wars" but if forced to do so, it will "fight for what is essential and necessary."
Against the backdrop of Iran's continued advances in its nuclear program and the ongoing efforts to establish a foothold on Israel's northern border, Netanyahu noted that "Iran is responsible for 90% of the Middle East's problems."
Just days before the event, the departing chief of staff told Israel Hayom that during his tenure, the military prepared three different plans to attack Iran, including one that would "neutralize" its nuclear program.
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