The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) are ready to launch a "third time if necessary" military campaign against Iran, Alarabiya quoted Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz as saying.
Following an April truce and a June US-Iran deal to terminate hostilities, new combat broke out between the US and Iran, heightening worries of a return to full-scale war.
At a military event, Katz declared, "The army is ready and on alert for a resumption of fighting, to regain air superiority and strike again... in Iran, to eliminate threats, including a third time if necessary."
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He continued, "If we have to go back, we will go back with even greater force."
Speaking at the event, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed that Israel's two prior wars against Iran had harmed the country.
However, he also admitted that the war was still ongoing. He declared, "Israel is stronger than ever, while the Iranian axis is weaker than ever."
"We demonstrated that the Israeli Air Force's extended arm can reach any location, including Iran and Yemen. However, we also need to recognise that the campaign is still ongoing," he added.
The war started on February 28 when the Islamic Republic's supreme leader and other high-ranking officials were assassinated in an airstrike by the United States and Israel.
After a 12-day conflict in June 2025, it was Israel's second assault against Iran.
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Following a swift escalation of direct military strikes, the precarious truce between the United States and Iran has been shattered, rendering the June 17 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) practically meaningless.
A disagreement over Paragraph 5 of the Memorandum of Understanding, which specifies the plans for reopening the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, lies at the heart of the breakdown.
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