High Alert in Israel: Experts Warn of Imminent Iranian Missile Threat
Amid escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran, a senior former intelligence official clarifies that direct fire toward Israel remains a "completely legitimate scenario" for the Islamic Republic.
As the shadow of conflict between the United States and Iran looms larger, Israel is bracing for the possibility of a new round of direct confrontation. Colonel (Res.) Assaf (Fizer) Cohen, the former head of the Iran Branch in IDF Military Intelligence, suggests that the threat of a missile strike is becoming increasingly relevant.
In a recent interview to Israeli media, Cohen analyzed the current dynamics with Tehran, emphasizing that the window for a diplomatic resolution may be closing.
"The probability is rising," Cohen stated decisively. "While last week I believed a deal was more likely due to the American proposal, the Iranians are still playing hard to get. They understand they can stretch the rope a bit further to see exactly what concessions they can extract."
A Blow to Iran’s Military Industry
Addressing the state of Iran's missile arsenal following recent strikes, Cohen clarified that while the regime suffered heavy losses, the threat remains potent.
"Iran still possesses missile capabilities; that is a known fact," Cohen explained. However, he noted that the latest wave of strikes was more strategic than previous encounters. "The system took a more significant hit this time because we didn’t just target missiles and launchers, we hit the military industrial infrastructure required for them to rebuild and rehabilitate their forces."
Cohen remained skeptical of reports attempting to quantify Iran's remaining stockpile in exact percentages. "Percentages are amorphous. No one truly knows the exact starting number, and these calculations often mix short-range and long-range missiles into one confusing data set."
"One Missile is Enough"
According to the former intelligence chief, the primary threat to the Israeli home front is not just the sheer volume of warheads, but Tehran’s psychological warfare tactics.
"We saw in the final days of the previous round that Iran would launch a single missile every few hours. This forced the entire population into shelters and completely disrupted daily life and the national economy," Cohen noted.
Looking ahead, Cohen warned that a direct American involvement in the conflict could once again put Israel in the crosshairs. "There is no doubt that if the Trump administration enters another active phase of the campaign, Iran will continue to launch strikes at the Gulf States and likely at Israel as well," he concluded.