Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Sunday that Israel’s Iran “mission is still not complete,” as the US and Israel continue to prepare for the resumption of major strikes against the Islamic Republic.
“With regard to Iran, the mission is still not complete,” Katz said, according to AFP. The Israeli minister went on to claim that Iran was “trying to renew its efforts to obtain nuclear weapons,” though there was no evidence either before the June 2025 war or the current conflict that Tehran was pursuing nuclear weapons.
The Jerusalem Post reported on Sunday that Israel was prepared for the possibility of President Trump ordering major attacks on Iran over the weekend, but that no such order was issued. However, the US does appear to be continuing strikes on Iran’s Qeshm Island, where explosions have been reported several days in a row.
Katz’s comments came after Israeli President Isaac Herzog tasked Gadi Eisenkot with forming a government, which will likely make Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu more desperate to escalate against Iran.
Katz also repeated his frequent vow that Israel won’t withdraw from occupied territory in Gaza, Syria, and Lebanon, and warned that if Hezbollah participated in a renewed Iran war, Israel would escalate against Lebanon, where the IDF’s occupation and destruction campaign continues each day.
“We will not withdraw from the security zones in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria, and if the terrorist organization Hezbollah chooses to join Iran in an attack on Israel, it will suffer extremely severe blows,” Katz said.
