Launched joint operation with US against Iran to tackle 'existential threat’ to Israel: IDF

Jerusalem, Feb 28 (PTI) The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) on Saturday said that its joint strikes with the US on Iran included attacks on “dozens of military targets” and were carried out as part of a “wide, coordinated, and joint offensive against the regime to tackle an existential threat".

In a statement, the Israeli military said that the “joint, broad, and powerful operation” with the US is “aimed at a thorough strike against the Iranian terror regime and at eliminating existential threats to the State of Israel over time”.

“The Iranian regime has not abandoned its plan to destroy Israel,” the IDF said, adding that “despite the severe blow Israel gave to Iran in June of last year, Iran never gave up on its project to destroy the Jewish state”.

Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also made similar claims.

“The IDF identified that the regime continued its attempts to fortify, shield, and conceal its nuclear programmes, alongside the rehabilitation of its missile production process,” the army said.

Iran accelerated its production of ballistic missiles to dozens a month, it further claimed.

“In addition, the regime continued financing, training, and arming its operatives positioned along Israel’s borders. These are actions constituting an existential threat to the State of Israel and pose a threat to the Middle East and the world at large,” the IDF said.

The launch of the joint military operation required months of “close and joint planning”, it said.

“This enabled the execution of the broad strike with maximum synchronization and coordination between the armies,” the IDF said.

“The IDF, across all its branches, undertook a meticulous and long-term preparation process for the operation, both in defensive arrays and in various attack plans,” it said.

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir is currently holding an assessment with top commanders.

The troops are on high alert for “for attacks across all fronts and against any adversary”, the Israeli army said.

“The operation will continue as long as necessary,” the IDF said. PTI HM GSP GSP