Israel Could Strike Iran in Three Months, Retired Israeli General Says

Retired General Claims Biden’s Weak Strategy has Left Israel with Limited Options in Response to Iranian Nuclear Program

The retired Israeli brigadier general Amir Avivi, who spent 30 years in the Israel Defense Forces and is currently the chairman of the Israel Defense and Security Forum think tank, has warned that the Biden administration’s ineffective and weak response to Iran’s nuclear program could lead to Israel launching a military strike on Tehran. In an interview, Avivi predicted that Israel may attack within three months if the US does not work towards an anti-Iran coalition among its Middle Eastern allies.

Despite highlighting that an Israeli military strike on Iran is not in anyone’s interests, Avivi believes that the option is unavoidable at present, given the lack of support from the West and the absence of an anti-Iran coalition in the Middle East region. Avivi also stated that the military budget allocated to the Israeli Defense Forces is one of the largest in the nation’s history, and it is another indication that an attack is very much on the cards. 

Avivi has also warned of a “shrinking” timeframe for an Israeli attack due to Iran’s alliance with Russia and support of its war in Ukraine, which could result in Moscow providing Tehran with advanced air defence systems. If any such deal transpires, it will make it even more challenging for Israel to attack Iran’s nuclear sites. In addition, some of Israel’s Arab neighbours fear a nuclear Iran, but their options are limited without the backing from the West. “At the moment, the U.S. is sitting on the fence, not deciding to lead and build a coalition that will stabilise the region and challenge” the Iran-Russia alliance, warned Avivi.

The recent Saudi-Iran deal brokered by China has also alarmed Israel, as it could spell out the United States as the region’s power broker, further pushing Saudi Arabia toward closer ties with China and Russia.

To stave off an Israeli strike against Iran, Avivi believes that the US must lead the West against Iran by building an anti-Iran coalition, which is not only in the interests of Israel but also in the interests of the Middle East region as a whole. “If the US leads a credible threat of attack on Iranian installations, it will be a game-changer, even in Ukraine once the Israelis really start to help,” said Avivi.