Israel justifies offensive against Iran due to ballistic and nuclear threat

Jerusalem. – The Israeli government assured this Sunday that, before the start of the war known as “Ascendant Lion,” the Iranian regime was in full expansion of an unprecedented ballistic missile program, with the aim of becoming the main arsenal of this type of weaponry worldwide. In an interview with The Sunday Times, Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Oren Marmorstein offered a new perspective on the reasons behind the joint offensive launched last June 13 by Israel and the United States against strategic targets in Iran. “We acted because of two existential threats: one was nuclear, and the other, ballistic,” he declared.

Read more: Iranian President speaks out on the truce with Israel

According to Marmorstein, US intelligence had detected that Iran possessed around 3,000 ballistic missiles, but projected to increase that figure to about 20,000 in the short term, several of them with the capacity to carry warheads of one or two tons and reach targets in Europe. "They were about to become the largest producer of ballistic missiles on the planet," he warned.

One of the most alarming moments before the ceasefire was the impact of an Iranian missile in the city of Beersheba, which caused the death of four people. "Imagine if they launched 10,000 like that," commented the spokesman, highlighting that the ballistic threat was as dangerous as a nuclear bomb.

Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles

Among the weapons developed by Iran was the Khorramshahr missile, based on North Korean technology, with an intercontinental range and the capacity to carry a two-ton warhead. This threat, Marmorstein pointed out, was not limited to Israel, but also put European cities at risk. Furthermore, he revealed that Iran had reached industrial levels of missile and drone production, including the Shahed, used by Russia in the war in Ukraine.

Nuclear program on the verge of the "point of no return"

Regarding the Iranian nuclear program, the spokesman reiterated that Tehran was "dangerously close" to achieving weapons capability, with enough enriched uranium to manufacture at least nine nuclear bombs. Marmorstein attributed the acceleration of the atomic program to the assassination last September of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in an airstrike attributed to Israel. According to his words, that event caused an immediate escalation by Iran, which has also been pointed out by former President Donald Trump, although not officially confirmed by US intelligence services.

Attack on Iranian Leadership

Regarding the results of the military operation, Marmorstein stated that it was "a success that exceeded our expectations", claiming that during the first night high-ranking officials of the Iranian regime were eliminated. "Imagine the Second World War without the Nazi military leadership from day one. That's what we did," he assured.

He added that more than half of the Iranian missile launchers were destroyed, as were key production facilities, which would have significantly delayed both the regime's ballistic and nuclear programs.

Civilian Impact and Air Defense

Despite the declared military achievements, the conflict left a significant human toll. The official recalled that several Iranian missiles managed to evade the "Iron Dome" defense system and hit residential areas, causing at least 25 deaths. However, he stressed that the damage would have been greater if the offensive had not been executed.

International Scenario

The magnitude of the attack has generated divisions in Washington, especially due to the use of anti-bunker bombs by the U.S., but Israel considers the operation necessary to stop a threat that transcended the region. "The threat was not just to Israel," Marmorstein concluded, warning that Iran's goal was to achieve a global offensive capability with implications for the entire international community.