Israeli military confrontation with Iran inevitable after new nuclear deal, ex-intel officials warn

Former top Israeli intelligence chiefs say Israel must prepare for major military conflict with Tehran, ahead of renewal of nuclear deal.

By World Israel News Staff

The new Iranian nuclear deal currently being finalized in Vienna will not prevent Iran from nuclear weapons capabilities, former Israeli intelligence officials warned, hinting that a full-scale military confrontation with Iran may be inevitable.

Speaking with Israel Hayom in a piece published Sunday, multiple former top brass from Israel’s security establishment urged the IDF to prepare for a major military conflict with Iran and its various proxies.

Amos Gilad, the former chief of the Israeli Defense Ministry’s Political-Military Affairs Bureau, warned in an interview with Israel Hayom that Iran is taking practical steps to bring its vision of a massive military confrontation with Israel to fruition.

“The Iranian threat is a major strategic threat to the State of Israel,” Gilad said. “It should be understood that this is not just a vision, but that the Iranians are investing enormous efforts into developing threatening capabilities.”

“In Lebanon… they have 150,000 rockets aimed at Israel, as well as long-range missiles, cyber and terror capabilities, and above all – the fact that they are on the verge of going nuclear,” he said.

Gilad emphasized that the new nuclear agreement with Iran, as it currently stands, will be unable to bar Tehran from acquiring atomic weapons.

Nevertheless, Israel’s ability to pursue a military option vis-à-vis Iran’s nuclear program is constrained by the U.S., Gilad continued, lamenting that at this point, all of Israel’s strategic options are highly problematic.

Major General (ret.) Yaakov Amidror, former Israeli national security adviser, argued that only military force will deter Iran from pursuing nuclear weapons, blaming the Biden administration for rendering diplomacy ineffective as an alternative approach.

“The diplomatic options were exhausted after the Americans decided to pursue an agreement at almost any cost. I don’t see any way that does not involve force to convince the Iranians, because Iran does not stop under any diplomatic or economic pressure. This requires us to ensure that we are prepared for a military option.”

Brig. Gen. (ret.) Yossi Kuperwasser, former chief of the IDF Military Intelligence’s Research Division, said that despite promises from the U.S., the West is no longer able to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.

The former head of the IDF Intelligence Directorate’s Iran desk, Lt. Col. (ret.) Michael Segall cited the sunset clause in the Iran nuclear deal, noting that once it takes effect and Iran is released from restrictions on uranium enrichment, Tehran will be free to use the knowledge it has acquired in recent years to massively upgrade its nuclear weapon delivery systems.

Furthermore, the reinstitution of the nuclear deal will enable the Islamic regime to massively increase its support of terrorist groups across the Middle East, including Hezbollah and various militia groups in Syria.

Last week, Mossad director David Barnea was quoted in Hebrew media outlets as saying the emerging nuclear deal is a “strategic disaster”.

“The agreement is a bad deal that gives Iran a license to manufacture a bomb,” Barnea reportedly said.

“The Mossad is committed to preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. The agreement does not apply to Israel, nor does the freedom of action to continue operating.”

IDFIranIran nuclear dealYaakov Amidror