‘Israeli’ Defense Minister Israel Katz.
Day 259 | ‘Israel’ defence minister says no need for opposition approval to launch strikes
‘Israeli’ Defense Minister Israel Katz said Thursday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu does not need permission from the opposition to make decisions on new military operations, after his designated successor, Gadi Eisenkot, urged him to exercise restraint in this regard.
"We do not need approval from the opposition or any legal authority" for the Israeli military to carry out strikes on any of the fronts where it is currently operating, Katz wrote on X.
Eisenkot and Netanyahu held a two-hour meeting on Thursday, after which they issued a brief joint statement saying that Netanyahu and his military aide had briefed Eisenkot on "the security and diplomatic challenges currently facing the State of Israel."
The two sides agreed to continue consultations, according to the statement.
Eisenkot had called on Netanyahu to show restraint, warning that the use of force without an "immediate and direct threat" could have "serious consequences for Israeli democracy and public trust in state institutions."
Netanyahu repeatedly threatened during his election campaign to resume the war with Iran, going as far as posting an image of a nuclear bomb destroying Tel Aviv.
Katz added: "We have also demonstrated determination and wisdom in dealing with Iran, in full coordination with the Israeli military, and this will remain the case now, as circumstances require."
Avigdor Lieberman, a prominent member of Eisenkot's bloc who was appointed head of a parliamentary committee on foreign affairs and defense, also issued criticism on Thursday.
"I warn you: A caretaker government is not allowed to make decisions that could drag Israel into war without parliamentary oversight and without the full approval of all security agencies," Lieberman said.
Lieberman, a former Netanyahu aide known for his hard-line views who has become one of his fiercest critics, made the remarks.
Netanyahu's office responded on Wednesday by accusing Eisenkot, a former military chief of staff, of politicizing national security.
Neither Eisenkot nor Lieberman explicitly mentioned Iran by name.
Eisenkot has until December 6 to form a government, although President Isaac Herzog can grant him an extension until December 20.
Neither Eisenkot's broad coalition, which spans the political spectrum from left to right, nor Netanyahu's bloc of hard-line right-wing and religious parties secured a parliamentary majority in the October 27 election.
VIDEO - Missiles, drones displayed at exhibition near Tehran
Visitors tour an exhibition at the National Aerospace Park outside Tehran, showcasing Iranian-made drones and missiles.
The Middle East war broke out on February 28 with US-‘Israeli’ strikes that killed Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Iran responded by launching missiles and drones at countries across the region, while the groups it backs in Lebanon, Yemen and Iraq also entered the fray.
Diplomatic efforts led by Qatar and Pakistan have been underway to negotiate an end to the war.
Trump says it’s possible he would strike Iran “right now”
US President Donald Trump said he would not hesitate to order renewed military strikes on Iran if he determined it necessary, while claiming that the United States currently holds a strong position in the conflict.
In an interview with conservative host Hugh Hewitt aired on the Salem News Channel, Trump was asked whether he would hesitate to use military force to stop Iran from threatening American allies and ships.
“No. No hesitation,” he replied.
“We’re doing very well with it right now… we’re taking out more oil now than we did before the, if you call it a war, before the war started. We’re taking out more oil.”
Trump claimed the US fully controls the Strait of Hormuz.
“We control the Gulf in terms of the Hormuz Strait. We control it. Totally control it,” he said.
He added that American forces had fought at a rapid pace for about three weeks in an earlier phase, with no US soldiers killed in the preceding five months, contrasting that record with heavy losses in the Russia-Ukraine war.
“But the answer is if I saw things going the other way, I would do that. And it’s possible I would do it right now.”
The president described Iran’s government as collapsing under economic and military pressure.
He cited 301 percent inflation, unpaid soldiers, a destroyed navy and air force, and loss of the strait.
“Their regime is collapsing… They are not doing well… their economy is gone,” Trump said.
When asked about possible further operations against remaining industrial infrastructure or the Pickaxe Mountain facility, he replied that such action “could happen.”
The remarks came amid a prolonged US-Iran confrontation that began earlier in 2026 with strikes targeting Iranian nuclear and military sites, followed by periods of reduced major combat, a blockade, and intermittent attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump has repeatedly claimed US and ‘Israeli’ operations severely degraded Iran’s conventional forces and nuclear program while limiting American casualties.
In the days before the Hewitt interview, Trump had struck a more restrained public tone.
In a November 8 interview with CNN, he said renewed major attacks were “highly unlikely” as long as negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program and the strait showed progress, though he stressed US forces remained “locked and loaded” with three aircraft carriers in the region.
On November 10 he described the military phase of the conflict as “effectively over” while repeating that American forces were prepared if conditions changed.
Trump’s latest comments also followed reports of internal administration discussions about diplomacy, including Vice President JD Vance’s earlier interest in direct contacts with Iranian officials.
Trump has since directed Vance to focus on domestic issues and stated that a deal with Iran is no longer needed, citing US control of Iranian financial assets and the strait.
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Read more: Day 258 | Trump defends Iran war in Veterans Day address
