Oded Eilam, a former head of the Mossad's counter-terror division, said in a radio interview that Iran currently has no interest in attacking Israel, as the focus of the US-Iran confrontation has shifted to the Strait of Hormuz. He assessed that both Washington and Tehran seek controlled escalation, not full-scale war, and that the Pentagon has failed to present President Trump with a clear military plan to secure the waterway, prompting continued diplomatic efforts.
Oded Eilam, a former senior Mossad official, offered his assessment in an interview on Kan Bet radio Sunday, asserting that Iran currently has no incentive to attack Israel directly. According to Eilam, the ongoing US-Iran confrontation is not about Iran's nuclear program but about control of the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran is attempting to disrupt shipping. He described the situation as a 'controlled escalation' that neither side wants to turn into an all-out war.
Eilam criticized the Pentagon's approach, saying it has not presented President Trump with a clear, organized plan to open the strait or keep it open, which he said explains why Trump continues to pursue diplomatic channels alongside military pressure. The Zioneer has extensively covered the Hormuz crisis, including US strikes on IRGC targets, Iranian drone attacks on commercial vessels, and the closure of the waterway to routine shipping. Eilam's analysis aligns with previous assessments he has given, but this interview provides a more detailed critique of US military planning.
The interview adds to a growing body of Israeli security analysis suggesting that the primary theater of US-Iran conflict has shifted from nuclear diplomacy to maritime control, with implications for global energy markets and regional stability.
2 developments
- StrongFormer Mossad Official: Iran Avoids Attacking Israel Because It Knows Israel Awaits an Excuse
- DevelopingFormer Mossad official argues Iran sees Trump as predictable, exploits talks
- StrongFormer Mossad official: US negotiating with Iran under rules that don't exist in the Middle East
- DevelopingIsrael stays out of US-Iran conflict, seeing it as acceptable for now, Times of Israel reports
Source and signal
- Open-source intake