“We have additional surprising moves in hand which I will not reveal,” Zamir said.
By The IDF Club
Speaking at a press briefing Thursday night, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said Israel has delivered a severe blow to the Iranian regime during the first days of Operation “Roaring Lion,” describing the campaign as a historic effort conducted in close coordination with the United States.
“Less than a week ago we launched Operation Roaring Lion,” Zamir said. “For six days we have been striking the Iranian terror regime without pause. The operation was planned in secrecy by thousands of soldiers across the IDF and in close cooperation with our ally, the United States.”
According to Zamir, the operation is progressing according to plan. In the surprise opening strike carried out Saturday morning, dozens of munitions were dropped on key targets in Tehran.
“In just 40 seconds about 40 senior officials of the Iranian terror regime were eliminated, led by the regime’s leader Ali Khamenei,” Zamir said. “His life’s mission was to destroy the State of Israel and he even prepared a detailed plan to do so.”
Zamir said the Israeli Air Force has conducted extensive operations since the start of the campaign.
“Air Force pilots have carried out 2,500 strikes so far and dropped more than 6,000 munitions,” he said. “Within 24 hours our pilots opened the path to Tehran. We destroyed about 80 percent of the air defense systems and achieved almost complete air superiority over the skies of Iran.”
The IDF is now focusing on neutralizing Iran’s ballistic missile threat.
“We have neutralized and destroyed more than 60 percent of the ballistic missile launchers,” Zamir said. “This is a significant achievement that reduces damage to the home front and saves many lives.”
At the same time, he warned that the danger remains.
“The threat has not yet been removed. Every missile is deadly and poses a danger.”
Zamir said Israel is now entering the next phase of the operation, increasing pressure on the regime and its military infrastructure.
“We have additional surprising moves in hand which I will not reveal. We will pursue our enemies and reach them all.”
The IDF chief also described the close coordination between Israel and the United States during the campaign.
“I am in constant contact with my American counterparts, including the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine and CENTCOM commander Admiral Brad Cooper,” Zamir said. “We are fighting shoulder to shoulder out of shared interests and shared values. This is historic cooperation.”
Turning to the northern front, Zamir said Hezbollah made a strategic mistake by joining the war.
“Hezbollah chose to join the campaign contrary to the interests of Lebanon’s citizens and it is paying a heavy price,” he said.
Israeli forces are continuing to strike Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon while advancing positions along the border.
Zamir also confirmed that Israeli forces eliminated the head of Hezbollah’s fire array overnight, a commander known as Fidaa who was responsible for multiple attacks on Israel.
“There will be no more equations,” Zamir said. “We will continue acting to protect the security of the residents of the north and we will not let up from the goal of disarming Hezbollah.”
Addressing the Israeli public, Zamir said the strength of Israeli society remains central to the military’s success.
“When you are strong on the home front, the IDF wins in depth,” he said. “This is a historic campaign intended to secure our existence and our future here for generations.”
