DM Katz warns of possible Iranian strikes during upcoming Jewish High Holidays

Israel is preparing for the possibility that Iran could launch attacks against the country during the upcoming Jewish High Holidays, Defense Minister Israel Katz warned Wednesday, saying the Israel Defense Forces is ready to respond if Tehran strikes.

Katz made the comments at the “Decision Time: Democracy and Society” conference hosted by Ynet and Yedioth Ahronoth in cooperation with the Israel Democracy Institute, where he said Israel is closely monitoring the ongoing exchange of fire between Iran and U.S. forces across the region.

“The prime minister and I are following this on a daily basis together with the IDF, sometimes in the middle of the night on the red phone,” he said, referring to the direct line between the Prime Minister’s Office and the White House. “We are not taking any information lightly. We do not want to be surprised. We are prepared.”

Katz said Israel would respond independently if Iran attacks, while noting that Tehran has so far avoided striking Israel during the current escalation.

“If they attack us, we will respond with great force, independently of anyone else. For now, they are striking throughout the region except us,” he added. “But there is a possibility that they will attack us. We are prepared for that defensively.”

He specifically warned that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps could target Israel during Jewish holidays, citing what he described as a history of attacks during such periods.

He also said that the IRGC currently ruling in Iran has a history of “attacking on Jewish holidays because they hate Jews. Look at many things that happened in the past. But we are prepared both defensively and offensively, in coordination with the United States in this area.”

“If they attack because of Lebanon, because of the West Bank, because of Gaza, or simply because they feel like it, our planes are ready to take off,” he concluded.

Katz also addressed Iran’s nuclear program, saying that joint Israeli-American operations during Operation Rising Lion destroyed most of the infrastructure Tehran needed to produce a nuclear weapon.

“We destroyed it, the entire production process, all of it,” he said. “There was an active program. We destroyed it. Since then, the nuclear program has not been renewed, and we are monitoring these developments. Now we need to make sure they do not regain the ability to return to it and that they do not go back to it.”

Katz reiterated that Israel would not accept Iran acquiring nuclear weapons and suggested Israel could again act jointly with the United States if Tehran resumes its nuclear weapons program.

“We will not allow Iran to have nuclear weapons,” Katz said. “If something like that happens, and President Trump says the same thing, then we will likely attack together.”

Speaking more broadly about the series of air campaigns and sabotage efforts that the United States and Israel have carried out against Iran over the past two years, Katz described the operations as a major strategic victory for Israel.

“We removed an existential threat from Iran, eliminated Khamenei, thwarted their strategic capabilities and set them back by decades.”

Katz acknowledged the cost of those operations but argued that the overall strategic gains outweighed the losses:

“There were casualties, but when you look at the overall balance, there could have been many more. We neutralized their launch capabilities. Against Iran, we achieved an enormous gain. Our most dangerous enemy was struck and is now significantly weaker than us.”

The “Decision Time: Democracy and Society” conference brings together elected officials, security and civil defense officials, senior civil servants, economists and representatives of civil society to discuss major issues shaping Israel.

The conference is hosted in cooperation with the Israel Democracy Institute, which describes itself as “an independent center of research and action dedicated to strengthening the foundations of Israeli democracy.”

The institute says it works “to bolster the values and institutions of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state” and describes itself as “a non-partisan think-and-do tank” that conducts applied research to educate decision-makers and help shape policy and public opinion.

The IDI also says it works with government officials, the civil service and Israeli society “to improve the functioning of the government and its institutions, confront security threats while preserving civil liberties, and foster solidarity within Israeli society.”