World

Israel Defence Minister Declares Mission Against Iran Still Incomplete

By AFP

Israel Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Sunday, November 8, 2026, that the country’s mission against Iran is not finished and urged Hezbollah to refrain from any renewed hostilities. Katz reiterated that Iran, which has been targeted twice in major Israeli‑U.S. bombing campaigns since last year, is pursuing nuclear weapons, a claim Tehran denies. "Concerning Iran, the mission is still not complete. Iran is trying to renew its efforts to obtain nuclear weapons — alongside other grave efforts that place the State of Israel in real danger," Katz said.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is fighting for his political survival, has repeatedly threatened new strikes against Iran in recent weeks. It is unclear whether he has the support of U.S. President Donald Trump, who faced a major rebuke from voters in elections on Tuesday, November 10, partly over anger at the war. Israel’s Channel 12 reported that Netanyahu and Mossad attempted an operation against Iran on the eve of Israel’s October 27 election, but the United States discovered and halted it.

Netanyahu has ordered a multi‑nation war since the unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, by Hamas, the Palestinian militant group in Gaza backed by Iran’s clerical state. Israel has devastated Gaza, invaded Lebanon after Hezbollah fired on Israel in solidarity with Iran, and moved past a former ceasefire line to occupy part of historic adversary Syria after the fall of longtime leader Bashar al‑Assad in 2024.

"We will not withdraw from the security zones in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria, and if the terrorist organisation Hezbollah chooses to join Iran in an attack on Israel, it will suffer extremely severe blows," Katz said.

Netanyahu suffered losses in the October 27 election, with rival Gadi Eisenkot tasked with forming a new government. Eisenkot has warned Israel’s military that Netanyahu has no mandate and that it should not go to war for his "political needs," although the former army chief has largely supported Netanyahu’s war decisions.

"We may argue, and we may disagree, but when the security of the state is at stake, we must know how to rise above our disputes," Katz said, speaking at a ceremony for Israeli troops who died in a 1956 attack on Egypt.

Published – November 08, 2026 06:30 pm IST