Chief of Staff: Iran no longer a nuclear threshold state

Israeli Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir has said in closed discussions in the past couple of days that “Iran is no longer a nuclear threshold state.” The assessment of Israel’s military establishment is that even if elements of Iran’s nuclear program remain intact, the severe blow to the whole chain, including scientists, installations, and reactors, puts Iran a long way away from being able to develop a nuclear weapon. It’s possible that the damage is such that it will take years to rehabilitate the program.

Aerial photographs published last week show that the Iranians have started work on the nuclear site at Natanz. The assessment is that this is an attempt to salvage the enriched uranium buried under the ground. Satellite pictures from US company Maxar show that the Iranian have pitched tents close to the area bombed by the US Air Force.

Yesterday evening, Zamir emerged for the first time to talk to protesters from the “Four Awake Mothers” movement outside his house. “Get the boys out of Gaza, what are they there for?” the protesters called out to him. “I’m working on it.” Zamir responded.

Earlier, the chief of staff carried out a filed survey and a situation assessment with senior commanders in the Gaza Strip. “We will shortly reach the lines we defined for the current stage of Operation Gideon’s Chariots. From there, options for further action will be developed that will be presented to the political echelon. We shall continue to work determinedly to meet the two goals of the campaign: release of the hostages and the defeat of Hamas,” Zamir said, adding, “The blow struck at Iran could possibly advance our aims in the Gaza Strip; that is the main arena.”

Within the next few days, the IDF will reach control of 75% of the Gaza Strip, and the political leadership will have to decide whether to complete the military occupation of the territory, or to reach a deal with Hamas. Zamir will take part in a meeting of the security cabinet today, and present a clear message: We are reaching the goals you set for us. Accordingly, this will be a week of big decisions about the campaign in the Gaza Strip.

Minister Ron Dermer is due to hold meetings this week at the White House to discuss the achievements of the attack on Iran, a hostage release deal, and coordination of a visit to Washington by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Published by Globes, Israel business news – en.globes.co.il – on June 29, 2025.