Former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has claimed that Israel’s October 26 strike on Iran, in response to Iran’s October 1 missile attack on Israel, has created a crucial opportunity to target Iran before it achieves nuclear weapons. In an opinion piece for The Washington Post, Gallant argued that the strike demonstrated Iran’s vulnerability, highlighting that Israel’s Operation Days of Repentance weakened Iran and strengthened Israel’s position.
Gallant emphasized that the operation, which involved Israeli Air Force strikes on Iranian military sites, aimed to cripple Iran’s air defenses and ballistic missile production capabilities in the long term. The former defense minister suggested that the window created by these strikes could allow both Israel and the U.S. to take stronger action against Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
Noting that Tehran no longer has a “strategic defense” around its capital, Gallant warned that Israel has the means to strike Iranian assets precisely and forcefully, if necessary, and would not hesitate to do so.
The U.S. also sees an opportunity for “coercive diplomacy” regarding Iran’s nuclear program. Gallant’s comments follow a recent Wall Street Journal report that former President Donald Trump considered preemptive strikes on Iran before his January 2021 inauguration. Gallant was dismissed by Prime Minister Netanyahu on November 5, citing a “crisis of trust.”
