'The Threat From Iran Is Growing To Levels Not Seen Before'

'The threat from Iran is growing to levels not seen before – and it will intensify'

Yoav Limor

IDF commander Col. T. breaks media silence to warn that over the years, Iran has accumulated money and weapons for its nuclear program, terror activities and proxies in the region. He says the IDF must prepare to strike a blow if and when necessary, otherwise "we may wake up to developments that we were not prepared for in time."

This is a wake-up call. There is no other way to describe it. It is not about the IDF wanting more budgets or changes. They will, of course, need that as well, but that's not the main part. When we do wake up, it might be too late. It will be just like with the 1973 Yom Kippur War: whatever we do not invest in deterrence now we will have to invest many times over later.

It's all about Iran. Yes, Iran again. But not the Iran we knew. Meaning, that it's not just about its nuclear program and the usual warnings, but much more. More than what's been made known until now, more than was presented, more than the public and decision-makers in Israel and the world understand. The IDF has finally got it. Late in the game, but finally it understands, as does the Mossad and the security echelon.

Now it's only time for the politicians, who are preoccupied with the upcoming election, to catch up. Unless they wake up soon, we might all wake up to a very different reality soon.

Col. T. is the head of the IDF General Staff's Strategy and Third-Circle Directorate, which was established two years ago with the understanding that Iran requires more focus and attention than any other arena.

"The Iran [we knew] in 2000 or 2010 was completely different from the Iran of 2020. This requires us to act differently. 

"Iran challenges us on several levels," Col. T. continued. "The first, in their quest for nuclear power. The second, in the proxies they are trying to position around us, whether it is Hezbollah in Lebanon, whether it is the desire to establish a base in Syria, or whether it is the support for the Shiite militias in Iraq, Yemen or the Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Gaza Strip.