Retired IDF general warns against “underestimating the Iranian threat” in war with Hamas and Hezbollah

Retired Israel Defense Forces Major General Gadi Shamni recently called on Israel to take the Iranian threat seriously in light of the ongoing war with the terrorist organization Hamas in the south and Hezbollah forces in the north.

“I think it is impossible to underestimate or take lightly the Iranian threat,” Shamni said. said during an interview with Israeli radio station 103FM. However, he stressed that Israel must simultaneously address the significant threat that Hezbollah and Hamas pose to Israeli citizens.

“The Israel Defense Forces and the State of Israel should take the matter seriously, but it is impossible to paralyze our ability to act. The state must do what is necessary in the north and in the Gaza Strip and formulate a clear policy,” said the retired general.

Shamni’s remarks came in response to Iranian UN Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani’s threat of a “devastating war” against Israel if the Israel Defense Forces expand their military operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon.

“Although Iran considers the Zionist regime’s propaganda about an attack on Lebanon as psychological warfare, if it comes to full-scale military aggression, it will be a devastating war,” the Iranian UN mission said. wrote at the end of June. “All options, including the full participation of all resistance fronts, are on the table,” it said, referring to the regime’s network of proxies in Lebanon, the Gaza Strip, Syria, Yemen and Iraq.

The Iranian Ayatollah regime has been ideologically focused on the destruction of the Jewish state since its founding in 1979. The Tehran regime wages its war against Israel primarily through terror proxies, such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) in the Gaza Strip.

Since Hezbollah is Iran’s most powerful and important proxy in terror, the regime is reportedly concerned about the Lebanese terror group’s future viability in the event of a possible all-out war with Israel. While Iran has supported Hezbollah’s ongoing attacks on northern Israel since October 8, it has simultaneously sought to deter Israel from launching a large-scale military offensive.

Shamni estimated that America’s strong support for Israel was crucial in the multi-front war against the regime.

“It is very clear to me that without the US behind us, it will be very difficult. The Americans understand this too. This is how they threaten us. They understand that the gap between Israel and the US has grown in recent years, with the focus on the events since the beginning of the war,” Shamni said.

He pointed out that the unprecedented invasion and attack by Hamas terrorists on October 7 had forced the Jewish state to embrace a different security paradigm in the future.

“In the north, we must eliminate the threat, drive Hezbollah north and allow the residents to return safely. This is possible. Of course, the Israeli forces must be prepared very differently after this than we were on all borders of the country until October 7. Civilian preparation must also be completely different,” Shamni said regarding the Hezbollah threat to Israel.

Hezbollah is widely considered one of the most powerful non-state actors in the world. It is believed to have a vast arsenal of over 150,000 rockets and missiles that can reach any point in Israel. The terrorist organization also has drones provided by Iran and a highly trained elite force known as Radwan, which poses a serious threat, especially to communities in northern Israel.