Israeli Defence Chief Says Israel Closely Watching Iran Amid Reports Of Expended Missile Production

According to a report by the Times of Israel on Wednesday 24 December, 2025, Israel’s defence leadership is keeping a close watch on Iran, Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday, as concerns grow in Jerusalem that Tehran may be stepping up efforts to rebuild and expand its ballistic missile programme.

Katz spoke at a pilots’ graduation ceremony at the Hatzerim Airbase, against the backdrop of fresh reports suggesting Iran is accelerating weapons production months after suffering significant damage during the June conflict. That 12-day confrontation, known in Israel as Operation Rising Lion, saw Israeli forces strike Iranian targets alongside the United States.

Referring to those reports, Katz said Israel’s security agencies were actively tracking developments inside Iran, though he made clear there were limits to what could be shared publicly. The message, however, was unmistakable. Israel, he stressed, would not return to the strategic assumptions that existed before the Hamas-led attack of October 7.

In one of his strongest remarks, Katz drew a firm line about Israel’s future posture, declaring: “What was before October 7 will not be again. We will not allow threats of annihilation against the State of Israel.”

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