Israel’s defense minister says war against Iran ‘far from over’

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Wednesday that the war against Iran is “far from over,” warning that Israel's military is prepared to strike Iranian targets with “great force.”

His remarks came after US President Donald Trump said the United States will continue to hit Iran hard following overnight attacks on Iranian targets after the downing of a US Apache helicopter above the Strait of Hormuz.

“The campaign against Iran is far from over,” Katz said at an event, as cited by the Yedioth Ahronoth daily.

“The IDF (army) is prepared to strike Iran with great force,” he added.

Katz said the regional landscape is undergoing “major changes.”

“The Middle East is changing before our eyes,” he said. “If Iran attacks Israel, it will suffer a severe blow just as we did several days ago.”

He boasted that Israeli forces evacuated a Christian neighborhood in southern Lebanon after alleging the presence of Hezbollah members in the area, said Channel 12.

“We operate deep inside Lebanon against the Hezbollah terrorist organization, which acts on behalf of the Iranian regime, and we are dealing it severe blows,” he said.

“The Israeli army evacuated a Christian neighborhood in the city of Tyre during the past day and attacked Hezbollah operatives who had taken shelter there,” he claimed.

His remarks came a day after the Israeli military threatened residents of the neighborhood with evacuation, alleging Hezbollah activity in the area.

Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee said last week that the military issued evacuation warnings for areas in Tyre following what he alleged was Hezbollah activity and violations of a ceasefire agreement.

Adraee warned that the military would issue further evacuation orders if Hezbollah members continued to operate from the Christian neighborhood.

The neighborhood is located in the northwestern part of Tyre and contains churches, heritage buildings and historic alleyways reflecting the city's diverse character.

Israel and Iran exchanged strikes this weekend following Israeli attacks on the Lebanese capital of Beirut before pulling back.

The region has remained on edge since the US and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran in late February, triggering Iranian retaliation against Israel and other regional countries hosting US assets.

A temporary ceasefire was reached on April 8, but negotiations later stalled amid disputes over its implementation and subsequent regional developments.