Israel’s political leadership and defense establishment are preparing for the possibility that Iran could renew the war, potentially in the near future, amid what officials describe as a dramatic shift in Israel’s assessment of Tehran’s intentions.

Channel 14’s Tamir Morag reported that Israeli officials are increasingly concerned that the Iranian regime feels it has reached a dead end under mounting economic pressure and may conclude that renewed fighting is its only remaining option.

“The Iranian regime feels it has reached a dead end and that the only way out is through renewing the war,” a senior political official said. “We are still not there, and we have not heard of a final Iranian decision to do so, but we are definitely identifying signs — and they are serious. Among other things, the recent fire toward Aqaba was an attempt to send a message to Israel.”

According to the report, Tehran understands that it has lost the leverage once provided by the Strait of Hormuz and is being pushed toward an increasingly dangerous strategy. Iranian leaders may seek to renew the fighting in order to establish a credible threat against oil infrastructure and water-desalination facilities in Gulf states.

The objective, Israeli officials assess, would be to pressure President Trump into easing the severe economic pressure Washington has imposed on Iran.

Against that backdrop, Defense Minister Israel Katz held a security assessment on Thursday with IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir and other senior IDF officials. According to Morag, a photograph from the meeting was deliberately released so that those watching developments in the region would see it.

Shortly afterward, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a pointed warning to Tehran.

“I am convinced of our ability to remove the threat once and for all and bring down the regime in Iran, which is fighting for its life,” Netanyahu said. “I say to our enemies — don’t mess with us. We have the strength, the determination and the internal unity to overcome you.”

The latest assessment does not indicate that Iran has made a final decision to resume the war, but Israeli officials say the signs they are seeing are serious enough to warrant preparations for the possibility of renewed hostilities in the near future.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)