Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened the limited security cabinet again Monday evening, with the discussion focused on what appears to be another possible round of fighting with Iran. A source briefed on US moves said another US strike on the Islamic Republic was "not a question of if, but when."
Israeli security officials said steps and preparations had been taken ahead of the possibility of another round. The assessment is that this round will last several days and will be the last one for the near future. According to the source briefed on the US moves, the planned attack will be different from previous ones and will hit targets that US President Donald Trump has so far avoided touching.
"Not open to any concession"
Trump himself told the New York Post on Monday that he was "not open to any concession" toward Tehran, and that Iran knows "what's going to be happening soon."
Asked about his comment on Friday that he might be satisfied with a 20-year suspension of uranium enrichment, the president said, "I'm not open to anything right now. I can't talk to you about it. Too many things are happening," Trump said.
According to the president, the Iranians "want to make a deal more than ever, because they know what is going to happen soon." Trump said he was not "frustrated" with Tehran, but made clear that the Iranians were well aware that the US was capable of inflicting "additional pain" on them.
Asked about the claim that Iran was playing for time and trying to postpone discussion of the core issues, the nuclear program and the Strait of Hormuz, until US pressure eased, Trump said he had not heard that. "I can't talk to you about it," he added.
Not backing down
Ahead of the next emerging round with Iran, officials in Israel say Trump will not back down from his goal of removing the enriched uranium in Iran's possession. Israeli officials add that it is clear the enriched material must be removed, and that the fact Iran still holds it is "very bad". However, they say, Trump means what he says, and "they will not stop here."
Israeli officials also say that even without removing the enriched material, Iran's nuclear program has already suffered heavy damage. Contrary to the claim being heard in the media, as if Iran's nuclear project is in the same condition it was in before operations "Roaring Lion" and "With the Strength of a Lion," Israeli officials stress that the program has been set back significantly.
The most significant aspect is the damage to weaponization components, meaning the facilities meant to connect a nuclear bomb to a missile. These facilities were bombed, and Iran was therefore deprived of this capability. In addition, about 20 leading nuclear scientists and significant research institutes were eliminated in the two operations. These strikes, officials in Jerusalem believe, have moved Iran significantly farther away from the point at which it stood before the Israeli and US attacks. "It is a complete misunderstanding to claim that if we did not remove the uranium, and did nothing," Israeli officials say.
