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Amir Lati：The Eleventh Hour: Addressing Iran’s Dual Existential Threat to Israel

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3 個月前

2025 年 6 月 19 日

明報

【明報文章】”The Zionist regime is a lethal, dangerous, cancerous tumor that should certainly be eradicated, and it will be.” — Ali Khamenei, Supreme Leader of Iran, May 2025.

This statement, like many others from Iran’s fundamentalist regime, reflects a rigid policy towards Israel: the belief that Israel has no right to exist and that the Jewish people do not deserve their own nation-state. These assumptions are deeply embedded in the Iranian regime’s DNA.

Historically, this was not always the case. Until 1979, Israel and Iran maintained diplomatic relations, with direct flights and embassies. The Islamic Revolution of 1979 changed all that. The new religious leaders of Iran aimed to export their Islamic revolution throughout the Middle East and beyond, strengthening the Shiite axis while destabilizing regimes and exporting terror, primarily through the Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guard. Destroying Israel became a key component of their strategy for hegemony in the Muslim world.

In recent decades, one of Iran’s main strategies has been to encircle Israel with a “ring of fire” — terrorist proxies trained and financed by Iran. Groups like Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in the Gaza Strip, the Houthis in Yemen, and pro-Iranian militias in Syria have been tasked with engaging in hostilities against Israel, ideally keeping Iran itself at a distance. This allows Iran to focus on its nuclear ambitions and missile development.

A stark example of this strategy was the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which led to the brutal murder of over 1,200 people abducting more than 250. Imagine the devastation if this assault had been launched not just by Hamas, but by all of Iran’s proxies and Iran itself as part of a coordinated effort to annihilate Israel.

Iran’s military nuclear program has been in development for more than 30 years, often conducted discreetly to deceive the international community. Recently, the IAEA confirmed, once again, that Iran is violating its non-proliferation obligations. Israeli intelligence has reported that the Iranian regime is accelerating the completion of its nuclear weapons program, coming alarmingly close to developing multiple atomic bombs. A nuclear Iran would destabilize not only the Middle East but the entire world.

Moreover, Iran is pouring resources into building a formidable ballistic missile arsenal, aiming to produce between 10,000 and 20,000 long-range missiles at a rate of several hundred per month. These missiles, capable of reaching Europe, serve no purpose other than military aggression and pose an additional existential threat to Israel.

Jewish history is fraught with tragedies, and the state of Israel was established to ensure that the Jewish people have a safe homeland. Our history teaches us to take threats seriously, especially when the threatening party possesses both the intent and the means to act. We have reached a critical juncture: the radical Iranian regime has long been transparent about its intent to destroy Israel. Coupled with its nuclear capabilities and burgeoning missile power, this presents an imminent existential threat.

In response and as an act of self defense, Israel has initiated Operation Rising Lion to neutralize these threats and thwart Iran’s grand strategy. Early successes in the operation have targeted military facilities and individuals involved in Iran’s nuclear weapons program. In contrast, Iran has deliberately targeted densely populated civilian area exposing this regime true cruel face once again.

While significant progress has been made, further work remains. Nuclear and ballistic facilities still need to be dismantled to fully neutralize the threat. By taking these actions, Israel is not only defending itself but also working to weaken the Iranian regime, ultimately contributing to the stability of the entire region.

Amir Lati is Consul General of the State of Israel in Hong Kong SAR and Macao SAR