Nuclear kill zones: How Eisenkot would contain Iran if he beats Netanyahu, exclusive

Gadi Eisenkot’s proposed answer to Iran’s nuclear program is stark: a publicly declared American “kill zone” around the few sites where Iran’s 60% enriched uranium remains underground. Any attempt to move the material would trigger an attack, under the plan described to The Jerusalem Post.

The proposal would require the United States to maintain long-term air power over the sensitive areas, similar to the aerial resources Washington kept over Iraq in the 1990s. Eisenkot sees it as an alternative if maximum pressure and negotiations fail to produce what he considers a genuinely acceptable agreement.

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For Eisenkot, a “good deal” would permanently remove the Iranian nuclear threat. It would also allow very long-term inspections, conducted anytime and anywhere, to prevent Tehran from secretly rebuilding its program. A deal that only postponed the threat would not meet his standard.

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The issue remains unresolved despite Israeli strikes in June 2025, which pushed Iran’s nuclear program back by several years. The continued presence of 60% enriched uranium is described as a major loose end. Eisenkot’s approach would seek to make any movement of the material visible and vulnerable to airstrikes.

The nuclear question forms only part of his broader view of Iran. Since April 2024, the Islamic Republic has directly attacked Israel with ballistic missiles in four separate rounds, while also attacking about a dozen other Middle Eastern countries, including Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. Like Netanyahu and former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, Eisenkot also supports maintaining substantial security zones in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria, but he is presenting additional proposals for Israel’s security and diplomatic challenges.

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