Following Operation 'Rising Lion': Israeli Aims to Overthrow Iranian Regime by 2029

A senior Israeli official has publicly declared that Israel must set a definitive objective to see the Islamic regime in Iran toppled by the conclusion of US President Donald Trump’s current term in 2029. The ambitious statement, conveyed to Kan News on Monday, comes amid escalating tensions and alarming reports concerning Iran’s clandestine nuclear activities.

The push for regime change signals an intensified strategic focus in Jerusalem, which views Tehran’s nuclear program as an existential threat. The official’s comments coincided with rising anxiety over Iran's attempts to rapidly rebuild and restore the nuclear infrastructure that was severely degraded during Israel’s Operation Rising Lion and the coordinated US action, Operation Midnight Hammer.

Iran's Covert Nuclear Build-Up

Fueling the urgency behind the Israeli official's timeline is intelligence suggesting Iran is accelerating its nuclear progress without international oversight. The New York Times previously reported that Iran is constructing a new, highly secure underground site, ominously dubbed "Pickaxe Mountain." The covert nature and lack of external monitoring at such facilities heighten fears that Iran is moving closer to achieving nuclear capability.

Analysts warn that the current lack of reliable information regarding the exact condition and timeline of the Iranian nuclear program significantly increases the probability of another preemptive Israeli strike. For Israel, allowing Iran to reach the nuclear threshold is not an option, making continuous intervention a strategic necessity.

Escalating Threat and Retaliation Fears

In response to the mounting pressure and potential for a military confrontation, Tehran is reportedly preparing for a massive, overwhelming retaliation.

Intelligence sources indicate that Iran has shifted its war planning. Instead of being prepared to fire approximately 500 missiles over a twelve-day war, as previously estimated, Tehran is now said to be preparing to fire an estimated two thousand missiles per day at Israel in the event of a renewed strike on its facilities. This preparedness for a significantly higher volume of fire underscores the extreme risks involved in any future military action targeting Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

The timeframe set by the Israeli official, to achieve regime change by the end of 2029, links Israel's national security objective directly to the continuity of the Trump administration, suggesting Jerusalem believes the US is its most vital partner in pursuing a maximalist strategy against the Iranian regime.