Maj. Gen. Aharon Haliva, who entered his position earlier this week, said Tehran was using “sabotage and terrorism in countries located in the Middle East” in order to challenge Israel’s military superiority in the region.
“Iran is working to expand and to create its nuclear program, enriching at a greater rate and at greater amounts than ever before,” Haliva said, speaking at a graduation ceremony for Military Intelligence officers.
“We will continue to constrain Iran’s steps, to force it back, to damage its capabilities and to preserve the power of Israel,” the intelligence chief added.
Haliva’s comments, some of his first since entering his new position, came as Israel and the United States are increasingly considering steps against Iran and its nuclear program, with ongoing indirect talks between Washington and Tehran to revive the 2015 Iran nuclear deal having largely stalled in recent months.
Israeli defense officials, including IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kohavi, have ordered preparations for a military strike in order to stop Iran’s nuclear program if talks fail. In recent weeks, US officials have also increasingly threatened “other options” to halt Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. READ MORE
