Israel draws line on Houthi attacks, hopes for Trump strike on Pickaxe Mountain
From the perspective of the Israeli military and some politicians, the current situation of the US striking at Iran and Israel staying out of the conflict is ideal.
TEL AVIV — Israeli officials believe the current phase of limited US-Iran hostilities plays to Israel’s advantage, weakening Tehran while keeping Israel out of direct fighting.
“Israel has no interest in joining the circumscribed campaign between the US and Iran. The current situation is our best bet,” Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said Monday after lengthy Sunday night deliberations between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his top security officials.
Israeli interest
For Smotrich, the American naval blockade on Iran, combined with increased US sanctions, presents the best way to destabilize the Tehran regime. “Israel’s overarching goal — though not necessarily that of the United States — is to undermine and weaken the regime in Iran, to the point of toppling it,” he said. He argued that as Iran suffers from 85% inflation and a 134% increase in food prices, an American economic war would be the best way to topple the regime.
