Israel’s army chief says war against Iran ‘not over’

ISTANBUL

Israel’s Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir said Tuesday that the war against Iran is not over.

“Iran and its axis remain in our sights. The campaign against Iran is not over,” Zamir said during a military assessment meeting, as cited by an army statement.

He said he instructed the army to be prepared for “a continued wide-scale and comprehensive campaign” in the several areas that Israeli forces carry out aerial and ground offensives.

“We will continue to weaken and prevent Syria and Hezbollah from achieving strategic capabilities and maintain our freedom of action. We are operating in Judea and Samaria (West Bank),” he added.

He also said that the war in the Gaza Strip “is one of the most complex the IDF (army) has ever known.”

“We are paying a heavy price in combat,” he said. “We will continue operating to achieve our objectives: the return of the hostages and the dismantling of Hamas,” Zamir added.

Israel has killed more than 59,100 Palestinians, most of them women and children, in the Gaza Strip since October 2023. The military campaign has devastated the enclave, collapsed the health system, and led to severe food shortages.

Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.