Commander of the IDF Operations Directorate Maj. Gen. Aharon Haliva has asserted that “All signs indicate that… 2020 has the potential to be an unfavorable year from a security perspective.”
Speaking to a closed-door meeting of the Israeli Finance Ministry’s Budget Department in Jerusalem, General Haliva highlighted the realistic possibility of an Iranian missile attack deep within the Israeli homefront, largely as a response to Israeli activity against targets belonging to the Islamic Republic across the Middle East.
The Operations Directorate head made his remarks during a session in which the IDF requested increased funds it believes essential for countering growing challenges posed to the security of the Jewish State, particularly by the Islamic Republic of Iran. Haliva insisted that his statements were not intended as “fear-mongering to justify further funding, but rather because they provide a genuine understanding of the reality on the ground.
The Israeli military leader then turned to the September strikes on Saudi oil facilities, which characterized as “a sophisticated attack that managed to evade both US and Saudi defenses.” He went on to stress that “whoever says that it cannot happen to (Israel) is not a professional.”
In a clarification of General Haliva’s remarks to TV7, a senior Israeli intelligence official said, “Although the threat posed by Iran is not new; its willingness to act against Israel, specifically against sensitive installations, is growing by the day.” The source then advised that “Israel must be prepared for both a devastating attack, and an unproportionate response that will keep the Iranians at bay.”