An Iranian attack on the Jewish state would remove “every existing constraint” on an Israeli response, including strikes on Tehran’s civilian and energy infrastructure, Defense Minister Israel Katz warned on Thursday.
Speaking at a Rosh Hashanah toast at the Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv, Katz said Israel would, if attacked, hit Iran’s “national, military and civilian infrastructure,” and send the Islamic Republic “back deep into the Stone Age and darkness.
“The ayatollah regime in Iran knows very well why it is not attacking Israel: After we struck them powerfully twice [in June 2025 and February 2026], dealt a blow to the nuclear program, eliminated [Supreme Leader Ali] Khamenei, and severely damaged their strategic capabilities,” Katz said.
He said Israel had identified indications that severe economic pressure and concern over internal unrest and a possible collapse of the regime could drive Iran toward “desperate steps.”
“Israel is very well prepared, defensively and offensively, for every possibility, and the IDF is ready to carry out the mission,” Katz said.
Trump suggests renaming Strait of Hormuz ‘Trump Strait’
President Donald Trump on Wednesday suggested renaming the Strait of Hormuz the “Trump Strait,” asserting that the strategic waterway was now under American control.
“Now that we have it under U.S.A. control, should we change the name Hormuz Strait to TRUMP STRAIT???” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Like America itself, it would be ‘hotter’ than ever before!”
Also on Wednesday, Trump said that U.S. forces destroyed Iranian equipment installed along the Strait of Hormuz during overnight strikes.
“We took out all of the new equipment that they tried to build along the Strait of Hormuz, some defensive, some offensive,” Trump said. “We’re prepared to do another one [such operation] anytime we want.”
His comments came after U.S. Central Command on Tuesday completed a wave of strikes targeting facilities operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps across Iran.
American forces attacked IRGC air-defense sites, radar installations, maritime assets, communications centers and mine-laying capabilities.
CENTCOM said the operation was carried out in response to recent Iranian attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and U.S. service members deployed in the region.
Iran launches regional missile and drone attacks
Meanwhile, Iran’s attacks in the region continue, with Kuwait’s military saying on Thursday that its air defenses were “confronting hostile missile and drone attacks” following “sinful Iranian aggression.”
The army said any explosions heard were the result of interceptions.
“Everyone is requested to adhere to the security and safety instructions issued by the competent authorities,” it added.
Tehran’s initial response to Tuesday’s American strikes involved a wave of missile and drone attacks targeting U.S. military assets in Jordan, Kuwait, Iraq and Bahrain, BBC News reported on Wednesday.
The IRGC fired a barrage of ballistic missiles at a U.S. Marine installation in Aqaba, Jordan. Jordanian air defenses intercepted 10 ballistic missiles while three crashed in remote areas without causing casualties, according to the broadcaster. Kuwait’s armed forces also engaged incoming Iranian missiles early Wednesday.
The renewal of direct hostilities between the U.S. and Iran began on Sunday when the U.S. military attacked Iranian rocket launchers at the Strait of Hormuz in its first military action in a month, breaking a lull in fighting during a six-month intermittent conflict. In response, the IRGC fired ballistic missiles at U.S. bases in Jordan.
US tightens military and economic pressure
The U.S. Navy on Tuesday night updated the number of commercial vessels redirected due to the ongoing naval blockade against Iran to 86.
“As of Sept. 2, U.S. forces have redirected 86 commercial vessels, disabled three and boarded two to ensure compliance,” it added, providing the totals since the blockade was renewed on July 14.
On the sanctions front, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent provided an update on “Operation Economic Outcast,” saying in an interview with Fox News on Wednesday that “the fast way for the conflict to end is for no one to provide any support to this regime. We are going to sever every tie that they [the Iranians] have from the outside world.” He cited as an example the sanctioning of the Dubai branches of an Egyptian bank on Aug. 28 that Bessent said had provided more than $1.8 billion to the Iranian regime since 2025.
“We are going to systemically go through and take every bad actor like that out,” he said, adding that new authorities for Treasury have been created to be able to sanction “airlines, maritime, digital assets.” He concluded that “this is all hands on deck. Teams from Treasury, State Department and D.O.W. [the Department of War] have gone out of the world and we are having very fulsome talks with anyone supporting the regime.”
