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Israel said to convey message to Iran it is seeking to end war within days
Israel is reportedly looking to wrap up its bombing campaign against Iran after the US joined its strikes against the Islamic Republic’s nuclear sites, and has conveyed as much in a message to Tehran via mediators.
The Wall Street Journal, citing Israeli and Arab officials, reported that Jerusalem is seeking to seize on the accomplishments of the US strikes on facilities in Natanz, Fordo and Isfahan to end the war in the coming days.
Arab officials told The Journal that the US has told Arab partners to pass the message to Iran that Israel is looking to end the operation — which it launched 10 days ago — soon. However, according to the officials, Iran still feels it has to respond to Sunday’s US strikes.
The newspaper reported that Israeli officials are hoping Tehran will agree to restart diplomacy on its nuclear program in the wake of the conflict.
According to Channel 12 news, Israel believes it will reach its military objectives for Operation Rising Lion — removing the Iranian nuclear and ballistic missile threat from Israel — in the next few days.
On Sunday, an Israeli official told The Times of Israel that Jerusalem is willing to end the bombing campaign if Iran agrees to dismantle its nuclear program. “It depends on Iran, not on us,” the official said. “We are happy to wrap it up now; if there’s an agreement at the end, Israel will be content with the result.”
There are two options for ending the campaign itself, Channel 12 reported: Israel can unilaterally declare it has achieved its war aims, and Iran will subsequently end its missile strikes; or the US can announce that both sides have agreed to a ceasefire, something Israel sees as less desirable.
If Iran does not stop firing at Israel, the Walla news site reported on Monday, Israel will intensify its strikes with a focus on undermining the regime. The strikes carried out Monday on high-profile regime targets in the heart of Tehran were meant to preview what Israel may do if Iran doesn’t agree to stop firing at Israel, according to the report.
Citing security sources, the report said Israel believes Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is the main obstacle to Iran agreeing to end the fighting.
Israeli officials told The Journal that they hope the American and Israeli strikes will push Iran back to the negotiating table, where it will ultimately accept an end to its nuclear program. If Israel determines that Tehran is trying to rebuild it, the Israeli officials add, it will send the air force in to strike again.
On Sunday evening, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was very close to achieving its goals in Iran, having inflicted significant damage both to the ballistic missile program and nuclear facilities.
He promised not to let Israel be dragged into a “war of attrition” with the Islamic Republic, but stressed that this did not mean he would be prepared to end the campaign before all its objectives had been met.
“We won’t pursue our actions beyond what is needed to achieve [the goals], but we also won’t finish too soon,” Netanyahu said. “When the objectives are achieved, then the operation is complete and the fighting will stop… we are moving step by step towards achieving these goals. We are very, very close to completing them.”
Israel launched its campaign of extensive strikes against Iranian nuclear and ballistic missile targets on June 13. Iran has retaliated to Israel’s attacks by launching over 550 ballistic missiles and around 1,000 drones at Israel.
Israel’s strikes on Iran have killed more than 400 people, according to Iran’s health ministry, an unverified figure which includes civilians as well as soldiers, members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and nuclear scientists.
So far, Iran’s missile attacks have killed 24 people — all of them civilians — and wounded thousands in Israel, according to health officials and hospitals. Some of the missiles have hit apartment buildings, a university and a hospital, causing heavy damage.
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.