Iran and Israel Exchange Threats Amid Rising Tensions

A series of escalating threats between high-ranking officials from Iran and Israel has raised concerns of further destabilizing the Middle East. The latest warning came from Iranian General Ebrahim Jabbari of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), who declared that Iran would destroy Israel as part of “Operation True Promise 3.”

Jabbari stated, “Operation True Promise 3 will be carried out at the right time, with precision, and on a scale sufficient to destroy Israel and raze Tel Aviv and Haifa to the ground.”

In response, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar remarked, “If the Jewish people have learned anything from history, it is this: if your enemy says his goal is to annihilate you – believe him. We are ready.”

Jabbari’s statement marks the third such threat in a week from senior IRGC officials. Brigadier General Ali Fadavi and Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, both high-ranking IRGC commanders, have also vowed to destroy Israel as part of the upcoming Operation True Promise 3. This follows Iranian missile strikes in April and October 2024.

Reports indicate an increase in missile production by the IRGC, coinciding with claims that Iran received a shipment of rocket fuel precursor chemicals from China. Furthermore, the IRGC unveiled a new underground missile base, reportedly designed to target destroyers in strategic southern waters.

According to a report in The Jerusalem Post, citing an upcoming article in Middle East Quarterly, Colin Winston, a 30-year CIA veteran, suggests that the time may be right for a joint US-Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities. Winston argues that Iran is on the verge of producing enough weapons-grade uranium for multiple nuclear bombs. He stresses that relying on intelligence to detect Iran’s nuclear “breakout” is no longer effective and advocates for military action against Iran’s nuclear program.

Winston claims Iran has been enriching uranium to 60%, significantly shortening the timeline for creating a nuclear weapon. The International Atomic Energy Agency estimates that Iran could produce weapons-grade uranium within weeks.

In January, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that any attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities by Israel or the US would lead to an “all-out war” in the region. He described such an attack as “one of the biggest historical mistakes the US could make.”

Earlier this month, the Washington Post reported that, according to multiple US intelligence sources, Israel may launch a preemptive strike on Iran’s nuclear program by mid-2024.