Former Defense Minister Gantz Says Israel Should Directly Attack Iran

Benny Gantz. (Wikimedia Commons/IDF Spokesperson's Unit)

JAKARTA - Israel must directly target Iran to confront attacks by Yemen's Houthis and other Iranian proxies, former Defense Minister Benny Gantz said.

Speaking with the press ahead of a weekly meeting of his party's National Unity faction in Knesset, Gantz said "the solution to ending the attack lies in Tehran."

"Today we have the opportunity to catalyze 'strategic changes' to Iran and its proxies. We have to take advantage of that opportunity. It would be a historic strategic error if we didn't," he said, launching The Times of Israel December 24.

"Israel must bring home the hostages, and countries in the region together with the United States must cooperate with Israel to remove the threat of Iran's nuclear regime," he said, calling for a comprehensive agreement with Hamas covering all hostages detained in Gaza, even if its release is carried out in stages.

"We must use this time to do what Netanyahu has refused for more than a year - replacing the Hamas government," he continued, stating that although most Hamas commanders had been killed and their infrastructure destroyed, Israel "continued to allow Hamas to control the Gaza Strip" by not allowing any alternative force to replace it.

"The Israeli state has not made a real decision to replace Hamas. They are not working with our friends in the world to form a government that runs the Gaza Strip as I proposed a year ago. Such plans are in defense institutions, but this is something that can only be led by a steadfast political echelon, which is not bound by the dream of the mesianis and the need for coalitions," he stressed.

He stressed that although a new government focused on deradicalization was formed in Gaza, Hamas would not disappear overnight, requiring the IDF to continue operating in Gaza in the future.

Earlier, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Sunday insisted Iran had no proxy in the Middle East region, saying militant groups linked to Iran actually fought on their own beliefs, not Tehran.

"Shaman fights because of his faith, Hezbollah fights because his faith empowers him to take action, Hamas and Jihad (Islam) go to war because of their belief in forcing them to do so. They do not act on our behalf," said Ayatollah Khamenei, quoted from IRNA.

Stressing Tehran's position, Ayatollah Khamenei highlighted his country's ability to act independently if necessary.

"If one day we decide to take action, we don't need a proxy force," he said.