A Likud Lawmaker’s Live-TV Warning Ignites a Political Firestorm
A Likud backbencher set off a political firestorm on Thursday during a television interview by suggesting that Israel was on the verge of launching an attack on Iran, according to multiple Israeli media reports. Lawmaker Moshe Saada made the remarks on the pro-government Channel 14, stating that estimates pointed to an impending strike potentially occurring over the weekend, which immediately drew intense scrutiny and pushback from the Prime Minister’s Office.
Behind Closed Doors: The Prime Minister’s Office Steps in to Silence Party Ranks
According to reports from Channel 13, the Prime Minister’s Office was left fuming over the statements, while the Israel Hayom outlet reported that Likud leadership promptly instructed all party lawmakers to halt public statements regarding the war. In the wake of the broadcast, Saada took to X to clarify his remarks, stating he had actually been referring to a potential United States attack rather than an Israeli one, while also directing viewers to listen to the full interview.
Anonymous Officials Dismiss the Backbencher as Uninformed
Despite the clarification, anonymous officials dismissed the lawmaker’s initial comments sharply. One official told the Ynet outlet that Saada “doesn’t know anything, he’s just blathering,” adding that the politician was not privy to security discussions and had merely repeated media reports without any access to new intelligence.
President Trump’s Warning of a Massive Strike Against Iran
The controversy surrounding Saada’s television appearance coincides with fresh escalation threats from US President Donald Trump regarding Iran. Speaking to Axios, Trump stated that he was considering a “massive attack” that would be “bigger than ever before,” noting that he was close to making a decision and that authorities were “all set for it.” Trump also claimed that Israel “would join in two minutes if I asked them to,” while maintaining that the US did not need anybody else’s help and warning of potential consequences if Israel did participate.
Municipalities Open Public Shelters as Regional Anxieties Mount
Domestically, the brewing regional tensions prompted concrete precautionary steps on the ground. Earlier on Thursday, mayors across several Israeli cities announced plans to open public bomb shelters amid mounting fears of an Iranian attack. Municipalities often make independent decisions to open shelters, as Home Front Command guidelines for the nation remained completely unchanged.