00:00And Aviv Brzezinski is a former advisor to Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
00:05So, Mr. Brzezinski, how is this different from the 12-day war last year?
00:12It seems totally different because about more than 300 days ago when we had the strike on Iran,
00:20it was solely to try and derail the nuclear capability of the Iranian regime.
00:26This time, I think that it is way, way more ambitious.
00:31The goal is to get rid of the regime.
00:35And it seems that the strike that was done this morning managed to take down at least a few of
00:44the prominent leaders in Iran.
00:47So, I think that nothing but taking down the regime would not be considered as a success.
00:53Yeah, exactly. They are calling for a leadership change at this point.
00:57And do you think we are looking at a prolonged confrontation?
01:03The people in Israel are ready for any confrontation.
01:07By the way, now we have sirens again. I live in Tel Aviv.
01:10We are going back and forth to the protected room or to the shelter since this morning.
01:15Over 200 missiles were launched from Iran to Israel.
01:20And for the people in the UK, you have to bear in mind that it's about almost 2,000 kilometers
01:25away,
01:26like five times from London to Paris.
01:30And those missiles keep coming in and now UAVs are coming.
01:33The entire country is now paralyzed.
01:37Tomorrow, we're not going to resume work.
01:39No celebration for our Jewish holiday next week.
01:42But people are ready to absorb it and hoping that this will bring an end not only to a country
01:51that develops nuclear capabilities for military reasons,
01:58but a country that sponsors, promotes, and even acts as a terrorist regime
02:08and helps its proxies to act not only against Israel, but also against other countries.
02:14If I'm not mistaken, even Khamenei, the leader, that perhaps so,
02:19maybe there are some indications that Israel managed to get rid of today.
02:25He defined the British people as a cunning fox.
02:30So I think that what Israel is doing is not only important for the people in Israel,
02:34but also the people in the Western world.
02:36Well, Mr. Brzezinski, I think many people are asking this question.
02:40Do Israel and the United States have the legal basis or the international mandate to attack Iran?
02:47It's a good question, Lee.
02:48I think that in times of war, when people in Iran are striving for a regime change,
02:59I think that it's not the high time for such a dilemma.
03:05It's true that maybe President Trump had to consult with the two houses,
03:09get the affirmation to go and strike against a country that recently didn't do anything militarily against the United States.
03:25But we have to bear in mind that the United States is maybe the policeman of the entire Western world.
03:32And of course, in Israel, and I'm talking on behalf of Israel,
03:35and as in Israeli, it was unequivocal.
03:38It's no doubt that this operation is needed.
03:42And no matter what the price, the people in Israel will have to pay,
03:46hoping that this operation will end up successfully.
03:50So I don't think that it's the right time to talk about legal agreements or legal justification.
04:01It is something that had to be done and had to be done way long ago.
04:07As an Israeli, I'm happy that our prime minister decided to do it.
04:11It took lots of courage to do it because, yes, it might be a dangerous operation.
04:16And you said you hoped that this would end successfully.
04:20And what does a success look like from Israel's perspective?
04:24And from your time advising Netanyahu, how does a leader balance military necessity with a risk of widening conflict,
04:31especially now the United States is directly involved for the second time?
04:39Yes, the United States is directly involved.
04:41But last time, Israel was subjected to the missiles from Iran and from its proxies.
04:46And Israel had no choice but to act against the Iranians as the ones who run the show,
04:53if I can use this terminology, in wartime.
04:57Again, I'm saying the only measure of success will be a change of the regime.
05:03If this operation will end up with another cycle of violence, then maybe Israel didn't do much,
05:11maybe the states didn't do much, and the people in Israel are expecting our prime minister
05:15that since he has decided to go and do this operation,
05:18it will bring an end to a regime that not only oppresses its people in Iran,
05:24but threatens the Western countries, among them Israel, Europe, United States, wherever.
05:31But this is a big question.
05:33And as I'm saying, we are ready for a long conflict that will maybe take days or weeks.
05:39My assumption that it won't take more than a week,
05:42because as far as I see it, the Iranians after the previous operation are not as strong as they were.
05:49So Israel and, of course, the United States have the military superiority to finish its operation in Iran.
05:57Well, based on your observation, what do you believe were the key domestic political pressures on Netanyahu
06:03that shaped his approach to Iran now?
06:07It's a good question, because you know that soon we're going to have elections after four years.
06:14The official date is October, but no doubt that if this operation will end up successfully,
06:22Netanyahu will try and call for early elections.
06:25He tries to try and ride on his success.
06:28Yes, this is a good opportunity for Netanyahu to do so after the failure of October 7th,
06:36and he is a lot to be blamed for October 7th or for the negligence and the lack of forecasting
06:44or lack of dealing with Hamas.
06:48So Netanyahu will try to open a new page in the history of Israel and say,
06:52OK, I failed on October 7th, but since then I've changed the reality of the Middle East.
06:57All our enemies are gone from the Hezbollah, from the Hamas and from Iran.
07:02So he'll try to call for early elections, riding on his best ally, his personal friend, Donald Trump,
07:08that might come here on June.
07:10And this is his best ticket politically.
07:13But if I'll alleviate from politics, I'm talking now about something that goes across all over the board in Israel.
07:21Most Israelis, or the huge majority of Israelis, think that this is something that had to be done,
07:28should have been done, and they are quite satisfied that it happened,
07:34despite the hazardous or the dangers that might come by.
07:40And as I told you, we have drones, UAVs and missiles that keep on coming in,
07:46but this is a price that people in Israel are willing to pay.
07:50Thank you very much for your insight.
07:52That is Aviv Broshinsky, former advisor to Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
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