Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chairman MK Yuli Edelstein (Likud) stated during an interview with Kan Reshet Bet radio on Monday that Israel’s recent military action against Iran likely wouldn’t have occurred if the initial vote to dissolve the Knesset had succeeded.
“In such a situation, we would not have received the support of the United States,” Edelstein explained. He mentioned that when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presented the plan to the Cabinet, there was uncertainty about whether US President Donald Trump would endorse it.
When asked whether Iran’s nuclear ambitions had been neutralized, Edelstein said, “It’s not yet possible to say definitively that the nuclear threat has been removed, but the success of the operation is certainly phenomenal. I believe we’ve set the Iranian program back by many years—especially with the American strike two days ago. The Iranians are now significantly behind, but there are still more targets and more work ahead.”
Edelstein was also questioned about whether regime change in Iran was part of the broader military strategy. He responded, “Toppling the regime is not our goal—but no one will cry if it happens.”
As for Israel’s long-term strategy, Edelstein emphasized that the mission’s initial focus remains on dismantling Iran’s nuclear and missile capabilities. “Our starting point is the continued dismantling of their nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities. After that, the goal is to reach an agreement—no uranium enrichment on Iranian soil and limitations on their conventional weapons. We’re not stopping tomorrow; there are still targets. We know how many missiles they have, and their arsenal remains.”
Commenting on how Iran might respond to the recent American airstrikes, Edelstein said, “Khamenei has yet to decide whether to pursue a strong response against the United States or to move toward negotiations. What’s certain is they won’t come out waving a white flag.”
He concluded with a warning about Iran’s strategic calculations: “We need to remember—they don’t want to be dragged into a prolonged war. They have a lot to lose.”
“In such a situation, we would not have received the support of the United States” because this “Bibi Netanyahu” was installed by Trump. Hence, had there been elections with a new PM the US would not be able to support it.