Defense Minister Katz: 'Iran operation was initially planned for mid-year'

Defense Minister Israel Katz visited the Intelligence Division on Wednesday together with Military Intelligence chief Maj. Gen. Shlomi Binder. Katz praised soldiers and commanders for their work in Operation Roaring Lion against Iran. He said the operation was originally planned for mid-year but advanced to February due to developments.

Katz said Israel's advantage over Iran rests mainly on intelligence and operational capability. "If you ask what surprised the Iranians to the point that they were unprepared despite the strategic warning, it was because they did not know how to gauge and evaluate both dimensions: the breadth and depth of intelligence up to the last target and the operational capability to exploit intelligence to harm, attack, destroy, and destroy their capabilities," he stated.

The defense minister said intelligence capabilities were rebuilt and expanded tenfold after the previous Rising Lion operation. "Since an operation was planned for the middle of the year, with the same goal that was set, but due to developments and circumstances, mainly what happened inside Iran, and the position of the President of the United States, and the whole possibility of creating a combined operation here, then the need arose to bring everything forward to February," Katz said. He credited intelligence progress for enabling the earlier timing.

Maj. Gen. Shlomi Binder said the Intelligence Directorate provides timely warnings, decision-making intelligence, and support for victory over Iran. "We are working 24/7," he said. Binder said thousands of personnel across the directorate support operations and that efforts remain on track.

Katz told the troops, "You have played a huge part in building this capability, which has also led to this whole combination and to the result of the fantastic opening blow and to the continuation." He expressed appreciation and called for continued work during the ongoing campaign. The minister said results will significantly reinforce Israel's security and remove long-standing threats.

Binder said personnel are "very driven, very determined, very dedicated" and working "both with awe and in a very, very impressive and admirable manner." He added, "We are on the right track, we are on schedule, the intelligence is reaching the missions that we need to meet, and we hope to continue like this with all our might moving forward."