The current views held by the members of the Diplomatic-Security Cabinet show that the majority will likely vote to approve military action in Iran if Netanyahu and Gallant were to make the case that such a measure was essential.

 

If Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant present the Diplomatic-Security Cabinet with a plan to strike Iran, it would pass by a large majority, unlike the situation 10 years ago, when Netanyahu and then-Defense Minister Ehud Barak could not get such support in that forum.

In recent weeks, the tension between Iran and Israel has risen significantly, in light of the new revelations over Iran’s sophisticated missile systems and its continued progress in the nuclear program. Senior Israeli officials have even made specific threats and made it clear that the Jewish state would not hesitate to act if the circumstances merit a strike.

The current views held by the members of the Diplomatic-Security Cabinet show that the majority will likely vote to approve military action in Iran if Netanyahu and Gallant were to make the case that such a measure was essential. Moreover, in light of the hawkish attitude of the government, perhaps the forum will show a more proactive posture than previous iterations.

Israeli officials believe that even though Iran’s nuclear program has advanced significantly over the past decade, Israel’s military and intelligence capabilities have improved dramatically and today Israel has more means than before should it need to take out the Iranian program.


Iran unveils ‘Fattah,’ its first hypersonic missile

In November, the IRGC warned that a new hypersonic missile it was developing could hit Israel within 400 seconds.

 Iran's Fattah hypersonic missile (photo credit: FARS NEWS AGENCY)
Iran’s Fattah hypersonic missile
(photo credit: FARS NEWS AGENCY)

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) unveiled the “Fattah,” the regime’s first hypersonic missile, on Tuesday morning, Iranian state media announced.

The unveiling ceremony was attended by Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and other high-ranking officials.

According to Iranian media, the Fattah hypersonic missile has a range of 1,400 kilometers and hits speeds of Mach 13-15. The reports claimed that the missile is able to bypass and destroy air defense systems.

The Fattah features a moveable secondary nozzle and uses solid propellants, allowing it to reach high speeds and “perform various maneuvers inside and outside the earth’s atmosphere,” according to the Iranian Fars News Agency.

 Iran's Fattah hypersonic missile (credit: FARS NEWS AGENCY)Iran’s Fattah hypersonic missile (credit: FARS NEWS AGENCY)

Iran claims the missile could hit Israel in 400 seconds

In November, General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, commander of the IRGC’s Aerospace Force, claimed that Iran had developed a new hypersonic missile that could reach Israel in 400 seconds.

At the time, Iran’s Sobh-e-Sadegh newspaper published a threat in Hebrew on its front page, reading “400 seconds: General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Aerospace Force, said that Iran has obtained technology for hypersonic missiles.”

Tzvi Joffre contributed to this report.


Iran named vice president of UN General Assembly

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“This decision, which defies all logic and reason, is an insult to the millions of Iranians protesting for their basic freedoms,” stated Israel’s Foreign Ministry.

The United Nations General Assembly in New York City. Credit: Wikimedia Commons.

The United Nations General Assembly in New York City. Credit: Wikimedia Commons.

Following Iran—a country that executes its citizens for “blasphemous” social-media posts—gaining leadership over a U.N. forum based on promoting human rights through technology, the Islamic regime in Tehran has now gained another position of influence within the international body dedicated to fostering peace: vice president of the General Assembly.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry called it “a shameful decision.”

It said: “In addition to murdering its own citizens, attacking innocents around the world and racing towards a nuclear weapon with the goal of wiping Israel off the map, Iran will now serve in a senior U.N. position.”

The ministry noted that Iran advocates for the elimination of Israel, a fellow member of the United Nations, saying “this decision, which defies all logic and reason, is an insult to the millions of Iranians protesting for their basic freedoms and to the justice, peace and global stability that the U.N. is supposed to stand for.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a short video with a simple message: “I have heard all of the reports about Iran. I have a sharp and clear message for both Iran and the international community: Israel will do whatever it needs to do to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.”

Iran will serve in the position for a one-year term beginning on Sept. 5.

Hillel Neuer, executive director of United Nations Watch, reported the news and said, “This is a regime that defies U.N. arms embargoes, tramples the human rights of its own citizens and foments terrorism across the globe.

Michael Freund, chairman of Shavei Israel, tweeted: “The #Ayatollahs murder their own people, suppress democracy, threaten to destroy #Israel, sponsor #terrorism & are rushing to build a nuclear bomb. So today the #UN rewarded #Iran by electing them VP of the General Assembly. Insane! #DefundtheUN.”

In addition, Iran was appointed rapporteur of the Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Committee of the General Assembly.

In response to this decision, Ambassador Robert Wood, the Alternative Representative for Special Political Affairs, delivered a statement of protest that said, in part: “Given Iran’s persistent violations of U.N. Security Council resolution 2231, including pertaining to its ballistic-missile program, its ongoing efforts to undermine international security and its failure to fully cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), a representative of Iran’s government is unfit to serve in a leadership position within this committee, even if such a position is largely ceremonial.”

Zahra Hojabri, the U.N. correspondent for the Islamic Republic News Agency, tweeted that “the United Nations became the scene of victory for #Iran once again on Thursday after the Islamic Republic was granted two important duties at the international body.”

an named vice president of UN General Assembly