Operation 'Roaring Lion' against Iran making 'great progress': Israeli PMO spokesperson (IANS interview)

Tel Aviv, March 6 (IANS) David Mencer, the spokesman for the Israeli Prime Minister's Office, has said that Operation 'Roaring Lion' launched by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) and US against Iran is making "great progress" as the conflict entered its sixth day on Friday. In an exclusive interview with IANS, Mencer said that Iranian ballistic missile sites, which were a threat to Israel and other countries in the region, have been destroyed.

The IDF, Mencer told IANS, is now moving to the second phase of the operation, targetting underground missile locations in Iran. He also mentioned that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu have a similar "zero-tolerance approach" towards terrorists.

Excerpts:

IANS: How would you describe the current situation in the conflict?

David Mencer: At day six of this war, the Prime Minister (Netanyahu) has made it clear that we are making tremendous progress in partnership with our US allies.

We've made progress in destroying Iranian missile sites, particularly the ballistic missile sites, which are such a threat to this country. But we’ve also already seen that they are a threat to Europe, including Cyprus, as well as our neighbouring countries in this region. So, we are making great progress. In fact, the Prime Minister and the President (Donald Trump) had a conversation very recently, which I can share with you. We are certainly ahead of schedule, but there is still more to do.

IANS: What is the possible timeline that we are looking at? Is regime change in Iran also on the cards?

David Mencer: What Israel and the US are doing is we are opening a door. We are creating an opportunity for the Iranian people to grab hold of freedom. For 47 years now, they have been subjected to this Iranian terror regime. They have terrorised their own people. 80 per cent of their own people dislike them, despise them. There have been celebrations in the streets when we took out the Ayatollah together with 40 members of the top leadership of Iran.

So, we are creating an opportunity which we want the Iranian people to walk through a door to grab hold of freedom and create change. I will say one thing that is very important: they may not get another chance. This is perhaps a once-in-a-generation chance to turn Iran away from the dictatorial, Islamic fascist regime so the Iranian people can get freedom.

IANS: Is there any scope for dialogue with Tehran?

David Mencer: Look, I think President Trump is leading that track.

President Trump has said that there is. But, we already heard the American negotiator during the negotiations, Steve Witkoff, say that his Iranian counterparts had bragged to him that Iran had enough nuclear material for 11 nuclear bombs. Those were the words of the Iranians. So, in one sense, I think the Iranian position is perhaps one of the most foolish diplomatic moves in the history of mankind. So, we are pushing forward with our mission because we know that a region without a fascist, dictatorial regime is better one for the entire world.

IANS: Is there any assessment of Iran’s ballistic missile power?

David Mencer: We have inflicted tremendous damage on Iran's ballistic missiles. I can share with you that the IDF is moving to the second phase of the operation, particularly targetting missile stores which are hidden underground in Iran. So, we know these ballistic missiles are a threat not only to Israel but they have already reached Europe. We know that the Iranian ambition is to destroy, hit America as well as other parts of Europe.

That is not going to happen. We are ensuring together with our US partners, we are ensuring that the most dangerous weapons in the world cannot be in the hands of the most dangerous regime.

IANS: How many more days do you estimate it will take for Iran to surrender?

David Mencer: We are going to continue until the job is done. This is not going to be instantaneous. It is a large country. It is a complex society. But, the Iranian people deserve freedom. This is not an in and out operation, there is 90 million in Iran.

We have already targetted the most significant places within Iran, the regime's strongholds, where they had military headquarters, police headquarters, and IRGC headquarters which were restricting the rights of women and everyone else in Iran. So, we are making tremendous progress and our Prime Minister has said this will take as long as it takes.

IANS: What is Israel’s opinion about the next leadership of Iran?

David Mencer: That question is certainly up to the Iranian people.

We are creating an opportunity, a doorway if you like for the Iranian people to walk through. We already saw in two days in January, more than 30,000 people which the Iranian regime killed ruthlessly, appallingly. Now we are creating this opportunity for Iranian people to, not right now, not today or tomorrow, but in good time, they will be able to rise up and walk through the portal which the American and Israeli action has created for them. We hope they take it, because, as I say, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

IANS: Is there a real-time possibility of regime change in Iran?

David Mencer: Well, we are creating an opportunity for Iranian people to take their future into their own hands, and we hope they take it. Again, this is once in a lifetime opportunity for the Iranian people to get their freedom back. 47 years, living under a regime which diverted their own resources. Iran has smart people, scientists, poets, tremendously talented people. All of their resources have been diverted into fulfilling their wish which they say very clearly, they say 'Death to Israel and Death to America.' They diverted those resources and we are making sure that is no longer a possibility so that the people of Iran can move towards freedom.

IANS: US fighter jets were targetted in Kuwait. Who was behind it?

David Mencer: The latest reports I have about that is that it was a friendly fire, unfortunately, an unfortunate friendly fire example by Kuwaiti defensive actions, and that's obviously being investigated by the Americans. But, the latest information I have is that that's a friendly fire incident.

IANS: Has Israel or the US received any signal from Iran regarding peace, recalibration?

David Mencer: If you are asking me, whether the current Iranian regime is interested in peace, I think they have shown over the last 47 years what their ambition is. They say very clearly, I must tell your viewers, experience has taught Jewish people over thousands and thousands of years, that when someone says that they wish to kill you, as the Iranian regime say, they say, 'death to Israel'. When they say these things, the Jewish experience has been to believe them.

We believe what they say. Now, so often around the world, there have been people that have called for the death of the Jews. There's only one country in the world where that hasn't been the case, and that has been India, which is why there is such a strong relationship between our two nations. There has never been anti-Semitism in India, which is one of the reasons why our countries are so close to each other.

IANS: Does Israel have the capacity to fight a long-term war with Iran?

David Mencer: This is not about capacity. This is about necessity. Iran calls for the destruction of this people. They tried to invade this country on October 7 through their proxy, Hamas. They tried to destroy this country through their proxy, Hezbollah, and they fired missiles at us through their proxy, the Houthis. So, this is about necessity. This war is about protecting the long-term future of the state of Israel, because the most dangerous weapons in the world can never be in the hands of the most dangerous regime in the world, that is Iran.

We want peaceful relations with our neighbours, which is why the Abraham Accords are so important. Once this Iranian threat is neutralised, once the Iranian people can get freedom, we are looking forward to much better relations with all of our neighbours in this region.

IANS: If Israel receiving support from Gulf countries in this war?

David Mencer: Well, there's a limited amount I can say on that, but I can say that we're in contact, the Israeli government is in contact with all of our neighbours in this region.

I think almost all of them have been hit by the Iranian ballistic missile threat, and everyone, I mean, I don't think anyone's in doubt that the Israeli and US action, our partnership, is making the entire region safer for every country in this region, which means that when we have done the job, when we have neutralised the Iranian nuclear capability, their ballistic missile capability, their ability to challenge us with their proxy army, it means that we can move towards peace.Our Prime Minister has already negotiated amazing peace deals with countries in this region through the Abraham Accords, but we can do more, and with our Prime Minister in charge of this country, we will do more.

IANS: Questions are being raised on the targetting of an Iranian warship near the Sri Lankan coast, that whether it was justified?

David Mencer: Well, US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth laid out the reasons why they took that action. Israel, of course, supports that action.

It is, of course, the first time a US submarine has taken out an enemy warship since the Second World War. We, of course, together with our partners, the US, believe that what the US action that they took was completely justified. We're in this war together and we're together to defeat this menace of Iranian missiles, nuclear capability, and their support for their proxy armies.

IANS: Was there any input on the Iranian warship being involved in military activities?

David Mencer: That Iranian warship was part of Iranian armed forces, which are under the auspices, under the control of the Ayatollah regime. So, they most definitely are a threat. And let's not forget in all of this point, in all of this discussion, the Iranian regime regularly shouts, proclaims their ambitions. They say 'death to America'. That is a clear threat. Now, in international law, when you are threatened by another country, you have full authority to take out the military of that threat and that's precisely what our US partners did.

But, if you want more information for that, you should go directly to the Department of War in the US. But from Israel's perspective, yes, of course, we support that action, which has neutralised a threat from the Iranian regime military, not the people of Iran, not the proud people of Iran, but this Iranian regime.

IANS: How do you view the role of Indian leadership in this situation?

David Mencer: Look, I can simply say to you, I was proud to have the ability to accompany our Prime Minister, who welcomed Prime Minister Modi just a week ago, just a number of days ago.

We went to the airport and welcomed him for his two-day visit here. I can't tell you how moved we were as a people to welcome Prime Minister Modi. I don't think there was a dry eye in this house when Prime Minister Modi, addressed our Knesset, our parliament, the things that he said, the leadership that he showed, the understanding because he understands, as our Prime Minister Netanyahu does, both leaders understand that there must be a zero-tolerance attitude towards terrorists.When you appease terrorists, it just leads to more war. Terrorist states need to be stood up to and defeated and that's precisely what we're doing.

IANS: How do you see the friendship between PM Modi and the Israeli Prime Minister?

David Mencer: We had Prime Minister Modi here just last week. It was was a very, very successful visit. When he said in our Knesset, he said the words, 'Am Yisrael Chai'. I will never forget that moment because it means the people of Israel live and from so much of the international media like to portray Israel as being isolated.

Of course, we're not isolated with our partners in the US and many other countries. But more than that, Prime Minister Modi said, 1.5 billion Indians are with us in our battle against terrorist forces. Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Netanyahu are of the same mind. Zero tolerance towards terrorism is what brings success. Appeasement of terrorism only brings more war. Both leaders, together with President Trump, believe in peace through strength. First comes the strength, then comes the peace and we're seeing that in reality right now.

--IANS

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