Gantz: Israel Can Attack Iran By Itself

IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz told Israel Radio on Tuesday that the IDF has the capability of attacking the Iranian nuclear sites without help from anyone.

When asked during a lengthy interview if the IDF could act alone if it had to, Gantz answered “Unequivocally, yes.”

“The Iranian challenge is a meaningful one. We must look at it strategically, long-term. We will do what needs to be done, when it needs to be done,” he said.

Gantz denied a much-publicized split in the higher echelons over whether to attack Iran, saying only that it was a matter of ongoing deliberation. “There are long, continuous discussions, and I presume we’ll have more of those in the future,” he said.

Addressing security threats closer to home, the IDF chief said that on the northern front with Syrian and Lebanon, the IDF is ready “at any given time, for a war with Syria, both on the defense and on the offense. I don’t see it happening tomorrow morning, but despite that we are ready.”

Downplaying recent violations of the post-Operation Pillar of Defense ceasefire since November, Gantz described the situation as mostly quiet.

“There were several isolated incidents lately that were made to appear more prominent because of the relative quiet, and rightfully so. We have no intention to go back to the situation that was before Pillar of Defense. If this quiet continues [and no rockets are fired], there will be quiet in the Gaza Strip. If the quiet does not continue, there will be no quiet in the Gaza Strip and it will be very painful [for the Hamas leadership] and we will not be afraid to resume our operations in the Strip and even extend them,” he said.

This article appeared in print on page D35 of the April 17th, 2013 edition of Hamodia.