Israel should have seized Iran's uranium during Operation Roaring Lion, Gallant says

Former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant believes Israel missed a critical opportunity during Operation Roaring Lion to forcibly seize Iran's enriched uranium. He argued that such a military operation would have effectively dismantled Iran's nuclear program.

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We should have gone and brought the enriched uranium by force in a military operation during the campaign. That would have uprooted the nuclear program from Iran.

"We should have gone and brought the enriched uranium by force in a military operation during the campaign. That would have uprooted the nuclear program from Iran," Gallant stated in an interview with 103FM. He emphasized that the combined capabilities of the US and Israeli armies at the time made this a viable, albeit risky, option for Israel's security.

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The ability of the US Army together with the Israeli army existed, and that was something that should have been done. It is dangerous and could come at a price, but it is a risk that must be taken for the security of the State of Israel.

Gallant criticized the current Israeli strategy, warning against focusing on unattainable goals like regime change. He suggested that pursuing such "fantasy plans" wastes resources and endangers soldiers without achieving strategic objectives. He also asserted that Israel has failed to convert its military achievements into political gains, particularly concerning the goal of stopping Iran's nuclear program.

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If instead you put the effort into a fantasy plan to change the regime in ways that have no chance, you are wasting the only bullet you have in the magazine. You are endangering soldiers and bringing the State of Israel into a reality in which missiles are being fired at it, all in order to achieve a strategic goal. If you did not achieve it, you did nothing.

He placed responsibility on the political leadership, specifically Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, for approving the wrong objectives. Gallant contended that the prime minister's role is to achieve strategic outcomes, not merely to boast about military successes. He also expressed concern over a perceived erosion of Israeli deterrence against Iranian missile attacks.

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In Israel's case, there is only one goal for which you need to go to war against Iran, to stop the nuclear program. That did not happen. The fantasy goal of changing the regime from the air and through all kinds of questionable forces did not happen.