US Amb Huckabee: Decision whether to strike Iran is up to Israel, Hamas has no future in Gaza

Israel and the United States are discussing possible military actions against the Iranian regime, but will decide how to proceed based on their own interests, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee told Kan News in a wide-ranging interview touching on the U.S. positions on most security issues currently facing Israel.

Iran, which is embroiled in massive popular protests, remains the most significant danger to Israel’s security. Israeli media have extensively reported on concerns that the regime could attempt to divert attention by attacking Israel, or that Israel might use the situation to accelerate the regime’s collapse.

Huckabee stressed that Washington and Jerusalem are in close discussions about the issue. 

“I think this was definitely part of the discussions between Trump and Netanyahu [in their Mar-a-Lago meeting last week], and they will act in coordination, through dialogue and consultation with one another.”  

“What they do, what the United States does, and what Israel does will be decisions each nation makes independently, and they will be made in the interest of each one; in Israel’s case, for Israel, and in the United States’ case, for the United States,” he emphasized. 

U.S. President Donald Trump repeatedly warned the regime not to murder the protesters, amid an escalating violent crackdown in recent days, and the State Department has vocally supported the protests on its Farsi-language 𝕏 account. 

“When you think about the number of terrible things that have happened to human beings around the globe – what was felt especially here in Israel after October 7, and whose central planning came from Iran – then let’s hope this will be the year when the Iranian people say: ‘Enough is enough.’” 

Asked about the likelihood of a U.S. military intervention in Tehran after the successful capture and arrest of Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro, Huckabee said, “I don’t think that’s something being considered at the moment, because everyone is watching to see what the Iranian people do, what they want to see happen. The protests are growing, and that is significant.” 

According to recent reports, Iran’s proxy in Lebanon, the Hezbollah terror group, believes Trump gave Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the green light to launch a new large-scale operation against it, as Hezbollah forces have been rapidly rebuilding their capabilities, despite the Lebanese Army’s ostensible efforts to disarm it. 

Huckabee said, “The Lebanese Army is growing stronger and taking on more responsibility. That was always the goal, always the hope and aspiration – that Lebanon would control itself and get rid of Hezbollah. To the extent that Israel has to defend itself against what has been a sustained attack of rockets and infiltrations from Hezbollah into the south, it cannot allow that to continue, and it will not allow it. I don’t think anyone in the world should expect Israel to sit idly by and say, ‘Yes, just keep threatening and killing our people.’” 

Huckabee was also asked about Gaza, after reports on Thursday said the United States was preparing to advance to the second phase of the ceasefire despite Hamas not having returned the remains of the last Israeli hostage, Ran Gvili.

Israel has insisted that the ceasefire deal move forward only after Gvili's body has been returned, and once Hamas agrees to lay down its weapons. 

“Hamas cannot continue to delay its disarmament. They will have no future there. The president has said this from the beginning, from the moment he entered office a year ago,” Huckabee clarified.  

However, he appeared to argue that the transition to the second phase, particularly aspects connected to the start of the rebuilding effort and the creation of an alternative administrative system, could begin immediately. 

“I don’t know if there is a condition or a sequence of things that must happen. It’s a big plan – there are 20 points in the peace plan – and to the extent that different points in this peace plan can be implemented, they will be implemented,” the ambassador said.

Washington is reportedly pushing Israel to open the Rafah Border Crossing to enable the entry of equipment and material needed to rebuild the southern city of Rafah. 

Regarding Turkey's demand to contribute troops to the International Stabilization Force (ISF), which Israel stridently opposes, Huckabee said, “There will be no willingness to say, ‘Sure, let the Turks come in,’ as long as Israel has reservations. And it must be remembered that the reason Israel has these reservations is because of the things Turkey says and the way it talks about reestablishing the Ottoman Empire.”