Israel Defense Ministry Warns Of More Wars Against Iran Amid Rising Tensions And Military Buildup

Israel-Iran War: Israel's Defense Ministry Director General Amir Baram has warned that despite Israel's clear victory in the 12-day war in June, there will be more wars against Iran in the future. He said, "This war ended with Israel's clear victory, but there will be more rounds against Iran. The Iranians have not disappeared, they feel humiliated and are therefore investing heavily in defense and military power building processes."

During his speech at a conference organised by the Finance Ministry's Accountant General, Baram revealed the cost of Israel's attacks on Houthi rebels in Yemen and intercepting the Iran-backed group's missiles.

Israel is being ruined by war spending

"The average cost of our strikes in Yemen is around 50 million NIS ($15 million), but it has a huge impact on our deterrence capability and global standing. The cost of intercepting an Arrow 3 missile is between 15–30 million NIS ($4.5–9 million), but the damage from an unsuccessful interception can amount to around 300 million NIS ($90 million)," he said.

Strategy to maintain military superiority

Baram explained that the Defense Ministry works on three timelines to maintain military superiority: immediate procurement, improving readiness for the next decade, and developing game-changing weapon systems for future battlefields. He said, "We are setting up a 'Supreme Armament Council', which will enable us to substantially accelerate readiness for wars with Iran and other distant enemies."

Preparing for the next surprises

"We must now invest in thinking about the 'next surprises' and the next pager operations," Baram stressed, referring to Israel's attack on Hezbollah last year. "This is security economics," he added.

Increase in arms exports

Last week, the Defense Ministry signed arms export deals worth $2.5 billion, even as some countries canceled defense deals with Israel. "I cannot name those countries, but they understand the importance of long-term defense investments in an unstable world," Baram said.