IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir stressed that Israel has reached a turning point in its campaign against Iran on Sunday, after holding a situational assessment with the General Staff Forum.
"We've reached a turning point in the campaign, following last night's very precise and impressive strike by the US military on key nuclear sites," he said, while addressing both the American strike on Iran and developments in Operation Rising Lion.
The operation is now in its tenth day, noting that many objectives have already been achieved, including creating significant damage to Iran’s military nuclear infrastructure.
"We are on day ten of Operation 'Rising Lion'," Zamir said. "So far, we have achieved many objectives, including significantly damaging Iran's [military] nuclear program.
He also emphasized the close coordination with top US military officials, which he called a "major strategic asset" for Israel.
"Throughout the months of planning, and especially in the past week, I have maintained close contact with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Caine," Zamir continued. "I just now finished another conversation with him and CENTCOM Commander General Michael 'Erik' Kurilla. We view the coordination between our militaries as a major strategic asset for the State of Israel."
Despite the recent operational milestone, the IDF Chief made it clear that the campaign is far from over. “We must not forget: the campaign is ongoing and we still have targets to strike and objectives to complete. We continue to increase the rate of our strikes in accordance with the operational plan, and we are prepared to continue for as long as necessary.”
IDF-ISA recovered remains of three hostages
In parallel with the American airstrikes, Israeli forces carried out a complex operation in the Gaza Strip to recover the remains of three Israeli hostages: Ofra Keidar, Yonatan Samerano, and Staff Sergeant Shay Levinson, who was kidnapped during the October 7 Hamas attacks. “We continue to do everything possible to bring back all the hostages — this is a core mission to which the IDF remains fully committed at all times,” said Zamir.
Zamir also addressed the broader security situation, noting renewed rocket fire on Israeli communities Sunday morning. “These are challenging days for all of Israeli society,” he said. “Thanks to the responsible conduct of our civilians, casualties have been significantly reduced. The resilience of the home front gives us the strength to keep going on the front line.”
The IDF, Zamir stressed, remains on high alert across all theaters. “Anyone who tries to challenge us will pay a heavy price. We will not compromise on the security of the civilians of the State of Israel.”