Israel Creates New Military Intelligence Unit to Prepare for War With Iran

The news comes amid reports that the US and Iran have been holding talks

Israel’s military has created a new intelligence unit to prepare for war with Iran amid simmering tensions between the two nations, Ynet reported on Sunday.

Israel has been conducting a covert war against Iran for some time, but in recent years, Israeli officials have been speaking more openly about the fact that they’re preparing for an overt military conflict with the Islamic Republic.

The Ynet report said the intelligence branch of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) created the new unit to specifically prepare for a fight with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

The head of research for the new intelligence unit, known as Branch 54, told Ynet that the preparations for a conflict with Iran are much different than the wars Israel has waged in Lebanon and Gaza. “This is a significant mindset change that the IDF is required to make. It is not similar to a war against Hezbollah or an operation in Gaza against Hamas or Islamic Jihad,” said the officer, who went by the name Lt. Col. T.

“We are responsible for providing the military with the knowledge infrastructure regarding Iranian military capabilities and strategic systems under their control. We are engaged in researching the elements of control in Iran from the senior level down to the operators at the frontlines,” T added.

Ynet also spoke with an officer who is compiling a list of targets the IDF could strike inside Iran, who went by Lt. Col. Y. “Every day we gather more targets and objectives at a satisfying pace and learn how to strike them effectively. We have already doubled the target bank in Iran, regardless of nuclear facilities. It is very different from interwar operations. An overt military confrontation will be an entirely different story,” Y said.

The news of Israel’s new preparations for war with Iran comes amid reports that the US and Iran have been engaged in new negotiations related to Iran’s civilian nuclear program, although both sides have dismissed the idea that an agreement is close. In light of these reports, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Secretary of State Antony Blinken that no deal between the US and Iran would prevent Israel from attacking the Islamic Republic.

Author: Dave DeCamp

Dave DeCamp is the news editor of Antiwar.com, follow him on Twitter @decampdave.