Katz vows to continue war against Iran, Israel admits difficulty of militarily overthrowing regime

Israeli Defense Minister, Israel Katz, announced the continuation of joint military operations with the United States against Iran until all outlined objectives are achieved. Katz clarified in an official statement following a security assessment that the war led by US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would not be subject to a specific timeline, indicating that military pressure would continue through all available means.\n\nThe Israeli minister claimed that the Iranian leadership is in hiding in tunnels, alleging that Iranian hospitals are experiencing a significant overcrowding of casualties from the Revolutionary Guard and Basij forces. These statements come amidst a continuous escalation on the ground since late last February, which included airstrikes and assassinations targeting senior leaders in Tehran.\n\nIn a related context, Hebrew media sources revealed a conviction within the Israeli military establishment regarding the difficulty of overthrowing the Iranian regime through direct military means at present. The sources indicated that the army understands the serious strategic consequences that could result from an attempt to change the regime by force, emphasizing that this goal is not on the table for immediate implementation.\n\nThe Israeli army believes that ending the war must be linked to achieving tangible accomplishments in other areas, most notably undermining Iran's military manufacturing capabilities. The current strategy is shifting from destroying ready-to-launch missile platforms to targeting the infrastructure of factories and facilities that produce these weapons to ensure the long-term weakening of Tehran's offensive power.\n\nIsraeli air operations face logistical obstacles due to Iran's vast geographical area and the distribution of military facilities across distant regions. These challenges have prompted Tel Aviv to request direct support from the United States to expand the scope of air and intelligence coverage, especially given the continued targeting of internal security sites and sensitive border areas.\n\nThis confrontation is the first of its kind in decades in which Israel is fighting a country with strategic depth and independent defense industries. Reports confirm that Iran's ability to produce weapons locally makes it difficult to decisively win the battle through swift strikes, requiring a long-term approach and close coordination with international allies.\n\nOn the ground, Israeli and American attacks have resulted in the deaths of more than 1,300 people in Iran, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and prominent security officials. In response, Tehran continues its retaliations by launching barrages of missiles and drones that targeted sites inside Israel, leading to casualties and injuries among civilians and military personnel.\n\nIranian attacks also targeted American bases and interests in Gulf countries, Iraq, and Jordan, resulting in the deaths of American military personnel and damage to civilian assets. These attacks were met with widespread condemnation from affected Arab countries, which called for an immediate cessation of mutual aggressions and sparing the region the woes of a comprehensive war.\n\nPrevious reports indicate that the declared strategic objectives go beyond mere military response, to include an attempt to cripple the nuclear program and ballistic missile systems. Military analysts believe that Israel may prefer an unstable and weak Iranian regime over its complete overthrow, due to the uncalculated risks that a security vacuum could cause in the region.\n\nThe Israeli vision relies on the fact that the development of strategic weapons requires institutional stability, which the current strikes are trying to undermine. While countries like Turkey, Egypt, and Iran have been able to build significant military capabilities thanks to the stability of their regimes, Israel seeks to transform Iran into a model similar to countries that have lost their ability to threaten their national security due to internal chaos.\n\n"The operation led by President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu will continue without any time limit until we achieve all objectives."\n