Khaberni - Concerns seem to be growing in Israel about an endless war with Iran, as the military operations entered their ninth day.
"Overthrowing the regime is not the only goal"
Several senior Israeli officials have begun expressing increasing concern about the escalating military campaign against Iran, amid a lack of clear vision for the end of the war and the possibility of its prolonged continuation, which may increase its repercussions on the region and the global economy, according to the "Washington Post".
The report indicated that assessments within Israel suggested that the Israeli-American bombing campaign was close to achieving its primary military objectives, including destroying what remains of the Iranian nuclear program, as well as ballistic missile stockpiles and weapons manufacturing facilities, in addition to weakening the top leadership in the Iranian military and security establishment.
However, some Israeli officials are proposing to look for a political way out of the war before its repercussions worsen, especially with the continuing Iranian missile strikes on regional countries, and the rise in global oil and gas prices.
In turn, an Israeli official familiar with military planning clarified that overthrowing the Iranian regime is not necessarily the sole goal of the war, saying:
"Of course we want to overthrow the regime, but this is not the only scenario for the end. After destroying the main military targets, Israel would have achieved its goals."
The official mentioned that Iran may not surrender, but it may send signals to accept a ceasefire under American terms.
This development comes at a time when US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continue to speak of achieving a "complete victory," with Trump demanding what he described as "unconditional surrender" from Iran.
However, the chances for negotiating might become more complicated after the announcement that Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the former Iranian leader who was killed in an airstrike on February 28, has taken over as the new Supreme Leader, known for his close ties to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, according to the report.
On the other hand, some military planners in Israel express concerns about the war expanding to other fronts, especially in Lebanon, if orders are given for a wide-scale ground operation against Hezbollah.
An Israeli official confirmed that Israeli forces are currently conducting limited operations inside southern Lebanon against remnants of Hezbollah's Radwan force near the border, but emphasized that Israel does not plan for a wide-scale ground operation, attempting to avoid repeating the experience of invading Lebanon in 1982 which reached Beirut and was later considered by many Israelis as a strategic mistake.
At the same time, the official mentioned that Israel is ready to engage with Lebanese officials, including President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, to reach a ceasefire agreement on the Lebanese front.
It is worth noting that Iran, today Monday, reiterated its readiness to continue the war with America and Israel, where the Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted a tweet on his account on X, announcing that his country is "fully prepared," saying: "We also have many surprises."
Meanwhile, estimates by the Israeli military indicated that the war on Iran would last at least a month, according to the "Yedioth Ahronoth" newspaper.
In turn, former US President Donald Trump previously hinted that "achieving objectives" in Iran might take weeks.
In contrast, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard yesterday, Sunday, emphasized that it is prepared to continue the war, claiming that it has full readiness and capabilities to continue the conflict for 6 months.
