Israel vows 'Stone Age' retaliation if Iran launches attack

Infrastructure threat

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz on Thursday threatened to target Iran's energy infrastructure and return the Islamic Republic to the "Stone Age" if Tehran launches an attack on Israel, warning that mounting economic pressures could push Iranian leaders toward desperate measures. Speaking at a Defense Ministry ceremony ahead of the Jewish New Year, which begins Sept. 11, Katz said: "Any Iranian attack on Israel will free us from all limitations. We will strike all infrastructure, including energy infrastructure, and return Iran to the Stone Age and darkness," claiming that Tehran faces severe economic strain and fears of popular uprising.

Military readiness

Katz also stated that Israel is "fully prepared, both defensively and offensively, for all possibilities" and that the army stands ready to carry out its mission. He told reporters on Wednesday that Israeli aircraft are prepared to act against Iran, claiming that mounting economic pressure on Tehran could prompt it to attack Israel during the upcoming Jewish holidays, according to Israeli media reports.

Regional escalation

The threats follow renewed military escalation between Washington and Tehran at the start of September after a month of relative calm. US Central Command said Tuesday that it launched strikes against targets linked to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, including air defense systems, radars, and naval capabilities, prompting Iranian missile and drone attacks on sites used by American forces in the region.

Tehran warned that any new US attack would draw a "much stronger" response and said any site used to launch attacks against Iran could become a target for its forces. Washington and Tehran had reached a framework for de-escalation in June through Qatari and Pakistani mediation, but hostilities resumed amid continued disputes over the Strait of Hormuz and reciprocal military operations.