Israel is considering new operation against Iran, as war escalates with the US

An Israeli paratrooper in Tel Aviv, on June 15, 2026. LUCIEN LUNG/RIVA PRESS FOR LE MONDE Three Iranian missiles launched in the direction of Aqaba, in southern Jordan, on Sunday, July 19, were destroyed before they could reach their target. For the first time since April 7, when the ceasefire brokered by the United States and Iran came into effect, Israel's air defense system was activated to intercept fragments of the missiles, which risked falling on the city of Eilat, on the Israeli side of the border. In the Red Sea coastal resort, several explosions from the Iron Dome interceptors were heard. Hours later, Defense Minister Israel Katz declared that the Israeli military stood ready to take "both defensive and offensive" action against the regime in Tehran. "If Iran fires missiles at Israel, we will attack them with full force," he said. Israel is now considering a new military operation against Iran, amid ongoing escalation between Tehran and Washington. In an interview with the daily newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth on Monday, defense ministry representatives, speaking under cover of anonymity, said that the end of the World Cup in the US had removed "the last barriers" preventing the conflict from intensifying, and that they also saw an opportunity to "finish the job" of destroying Iran's nuclear program. When contacted by Le Monde , the Israeli Defense Ministry declined to comment on this point. You have 76.95% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only.