Français
Español
English
Portuguese
Iranian officials have accused the U.S. and Israel of fomenting trouble while acknowledging back-channel communications with Washington remain open.
By Shmuli Volkin, Jewish Breaking News
Israel came close to striking Iran twice in recent weeks amid rising Iranian readiness and fear in Tehran of a surprise Israeli operation, according to Maj. Gen. (res.) Tamir Hayman, a former head of the IDF Military Intelligence Directorate who serves as the director of the Institute for National Security Studies.
That claim, made in an radio interview, matters less for the headline-value drama than for what it signals: a hair-trigger environment where both sides are watching each other’s moves, interpreting signals through fog, and making snap readiness decisions that can accidentally shove the region into open conflict. Hayman argues those near-escalations have pushed Israel and Washington into tighter coordination precisely to prevent the “surprise” scenario Iran fears most.
The backdrop is the post-war hangover from last June’s Israel-Iran clash, which proved Iran can absorb major blows and still retaliate, while Israel’s home front can be hit and disrupted at scale.
Reuters has reported Israel is on high alert for the possibility of U.S. intervention tied to Iran’s internal unrest, underscoring that Jerusalem is gaming out multiple paths at once: Iranian retaliation, U.S. action, and the risk that an Iranian move is misread as launch prep.
At the same time, Iran’s regime is fighting for oxygen at home. As nationwide protests and a communications blackout squeeze the Islamic Republic, officials are leaning into a familiar playbook: blame foreign enemies, frame unrest as “terrorism,” and rally loyalists.
Reuters reports Iranian officials have accused the U.S. and Israel of fomenting trouble while acknowledging back-channel communications with Washington remain open, even as President Trump weighs options ranging from non-kinetic pressure to military action.
Hayman also points to a second battlefield: information. He described a wave of rumors, videos, and unexplained “noise” emerging out of Iran that could reflect influence operations layered on top of genuine internal turmoil—an environment where disinformation spreads fast, panic spreads faster, and decision-makers can overcorrect.
Tehran’s leadership is openly framing the moment as a multi-front fight. Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf has described confrontation with the U.S. and Israel across economic, “cognitive,” military, and “anti-terrorism” fronts—language designed to justify crackdowns and paint protesters as tools of foreign powers.
Iran International and other outlets have circulated videos and claims of anti-Khamenei chants at funerals and in Tehran gatherings; these are difficult to independently verify at scale under blackout conditions, but they align with a broader pattern of defiant protest messaging leaking out despite the regime’s restrictions.
The strategic risk is straightforward: if Washington acts, Iran may feel compelled to hit Israeli and U.S. targets to reassert deterrence, even if the regime is weakened internally. Reuters reports Iranian officials have warned that Israel and regional U.S. bases would be considered legitimate targets in the event of an attack on Iran.
Meanwhile, Iran is working to rebuild what Israel and the U.S. targeted last year. An AP report has detailed efforts to restore missile-production capacity after the war, with attention on supply-chain bottlenecks and the possibility of sourcing equipment abroad—exactly the kind of rebuilding effort that could shorten warning time in a future confrontation.
Where this goes next depends on the same factor Hayman flagged: scope. A symbolic U.S. strike could invite Iranian retaliation without delivering decisive constraint; a heavier campaign could deter Iran but raise the risk of rapid escalation and civilian harm—especially if Tehran chooses to respond through missiles, proxies, or cyber. And if Iran believes Israel is about to act, it may surge readiness again, creating the exact miscalculation spiral both sides claim they want to avoid.
Do You Love Israel? Make a Donation - Show Your Support!
Donate to vital charities that help protect Israeli citizens and inspire millions around the world to support Israel too!
Now more than ever, Israel needs your help to fight and win the war -- including on the battlefield of public opinion.
Antisemitism, anti-Israel bias and boycotts are out of control. Israel's enemies are inciting terror and violence against innocent Israelis and Jews around the world. Help us fight back!
