A hefty bill and targeting the key sectors of the economyDeterrence messages and escalation scenarios
Tel Aviv, Israel – Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz issued a stark and direct warning to the Iranian leadership, asserting that continued missile attacks targeting Israeli civilians would inevitably lead to the complete collapse of Iran’s infrastructure. These remarks follow a recent wave of airstrikes targeting vital petrochemical facilities deep inside Iran, signaling a significant shift in Israel’s response strategy.
A hefty bill and targeting the key sectors of the economy
In his remarks issued Sunday, Katz emphasized that Israel will not be content with passive defense, but will make Tehran pay a “heavy price” commensurate with the threat posed by its missiles. He clearly indicated that key sectors of the Iranian economy, particularly the energy sector, are now within range of Israeli fire. He asserted that destroying this infrastructure is the only way to sever the lifeline of hostile military activities.
The Israeli Defense Minister explained that Iran’s petrochemical industry is not merely an economic sector, but rather the “primary financier” of its armed operations. Intelligence data revealed that this sector channeled $18 billion to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in the past two years alone. Katz asserted that these funds were directly used to develop Iran’s missile arsenal and support its proxies in the region, instead of being directed towards improving the lives of the Iranian people.
Deterrence messages and escalation scenarios
Military observers view Katz’s statements as a declaration of a new phase of “aggressive economic warfare.” They believe the target is no longer merely military sites, but rather the facilities that provide the Iranian regime with its financial resilience. This warning comes amid a state of high alert in the region and expectations of retaliatory strikes targeting gas platforms and oil refineries on both sides of the conflict.
Katz concluded his remarks by asserting that “the equation has changed,” and that any missile launched toward Israeli cities will be met with the systematic destruction of a vital Iranian facility. However, this will leave Tehran facing a completely crippled infrastructure. This places the regime under unprecedented internal and external pressure.