Ex-defense chief: Iran to soon launch surprise attack on Israel

Former defense minister Avigdor Liberman warned that Iran could strike Israel during the upcoming Sukkot holiday.

By World Israel News Staff

Former Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman sparked controversy Friday after warning that Iran may launch a surprise attack on Israel during the upcoming Sukkot holiday, which begins Monday.

Liberman, who heads the opposition Yisrael Beitenu party and previously served as defense minister under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that Israelis should be ready for another round of fighting with Tehran.

“Whoever thinks the conflict with Iran is over is mistaken,” Liberman wrote. “The Iranians are already hard at work, strengthening their defenses and military capabilities by the day. They are back at work at the nuclear sites.”

The ex-defense chief urged Israelis to remain near bomb shelters in the coming days, warning that Tehran could try to catch Israel off-guard.

“It seems like this time, the Iranians are trying to surprise us,” he said.

He also took a jab at the Netanyahu government, accusing it of failing to protect Israeli civilians and eroding the country’s security.

“This government cannot be trusted,” Liberman wrote. “Until we’ve fixed their damage, we have only ourselves and the IDF to rely on.”

His remarks drew harsh criticism from senior defense officials, who accused him of spreading unnecessary panic among the public.

Israel’s Homefront Command issued a statement, clarifying that it had no new safety guidelines for the public, nor was it expecting any “unusual” security-related events in the near future.

But Liberman doubled down the following day, tweeting on Saturday afternoon that continued war with Iran was inevitable.

“The next confrontation [with Iran] is not a question of if, but when,” he said.

Liberman cited international media reports of increased Russian arms shipments to Iran and satellite images showing Iran rebuilding its nuclear and missile production facilities, saying this indicated that Tehran is gearing up to attack the Jewish State.

In recent days, reports have emerged that the U.S. Air Force recently deployed dozens of aircraft — including refueling planes — to a base in Qatar, fueling speculation that Washington is preparing for a potential confrontation with Iran.