"NSO is a private player using capabilities that Israelis have, thousands of people are in the cyber field, but there is no Israeli government involvement here, everyone understands that, this is not about the state of Israel," Minister Ze'ev Elkin says.

"Rather than dig itself deeper, US should abandon failed policies & return to [the 2015 nuclear deal]," Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweets following further US sanctions, this time on Iran's construction sector. "[The] US can sanction every man, woman & child but Iranians will never submit to bullying," he adds.

Tehran is stepping up its efforts to challenge Israel and Iran's enemies in the Persian Gulf by introducing new weapons, tactics and strategies. Warding off threats of this nature requires sending a message to Iran that Israel must be able to back with actions.

Following Israeli airstrikes in Gaza in response to Friday's rocket attack on southern Israel, PIJ's military wing says "the enemy's threats about going to war in the Gaza Strip are nothing new. They only enhance our resolve to continue defending our people and our efforts against the occupier." Likud MK Gideon Sa'ar criticizes PM Netanyahu over Israel's response, says it needed to be "much harsher."

The supposedly pro-Israel organization is now less protective of Israeli security than Obama was. It wants to condition US military aid on Israeli withdrawals.