According to Ynet, Eyal Zamir is not saying publicly how bad a war with Iran could be
By Nadav Rapaport
Feb 26. 2026
Israel‘s army chief has privately warned about the potentially devastating consequences of a war with Iran, while officially remaining silent on the dangers to Israel from a new conflict.
While Eyal Zamir, who became chief of Israel’s military in March 2025, has not spoken publicly on the implications of a war with Iran on national security in Israel, behind closed doors he has warned of the grave dangers that would result in such an outcome, Ynet reported on Thursday.
“The military are careful not to brief on the matter, amid pressure from the political echelon not to make public the implications and risks of the move,” the Israeli outlet reported, referring to pressure being put on the army by Netanyahu’s government.
There is a belief in Israeli army circles that a US-Israeli escalation in Iran could lead to a “war of attrition” that would include sporadic Iranian missile strikes on Israeli soil.
“Such a war of attrition could last for many months, with the primary cost carried by the Israeli economy,” Ynet reported, adding that missiles could also be fired at Israel from Lebanon, Yemen and Iraq.
While the Israeli army was prepared for the war between Israel and Iran in June 2025, Ynet said, “an American-Israeli war against Iran at this time was not planned,” with the Israeli military looking to rebuild its forces.
High alert for Israel and Iran
Talks in Geneva between US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi took place on Thursday.
With a US attack on Iran widely expected, tensions between the US, Israel and Iran are extremely high and are being felt keenly by the Israeli public.
Earlier this week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamyn Netanyahu said that “we are in very complex and challenging times”, adding that Israel is “keeping an open eye and prepared for any scenario”.
“I made it clear to the Ayatollah regime,” Netanyahu added in a speech in the Knesset on Monday, “that if it will make perhaps the most serious mistake in their history and attack Israel, we will respond with a force they cannot imagine.”
But the Israeli public is anxious that it might see Israeli fighter jets shot down over Iran and even greater destruction inside Israel than was caused in June.
All the while, the Israeli army is doing nothing, according to Ynet, to reassure the public, as “the constant stream of reports about yet another US aircraft landing in Israel and another destroyer entering the Mediterranean only further heightens the Israeli anxiety”.
Israelis hit by last Iran war still struggling
While Netanyahu is issuing threats, Israelis who suffered heavy losses from the war last year are still struggling to cope with its consequences.
Back in June, 30 Israelis died and over 3,200 were injured after Iranian missiles hit Israeli soil, with Israel estimating the cost of damage at $3bn.
On Thursday Haaretz spoke with several Israeli citizens who are still struggling to return to normal life after being impacted by last year’s war.
Anyone entering Jerusalem Street in Bat Yam is confronted with the war with Iran, the report said, referring to the city near Tel Aviv.
According to Haaretz, hundreds of Israeli citizens have still not returned to their homes eight months on from the 12-day exchange of fire between Israel and Iran.
Smadar Ronen, a lawyer from Tel Aviv, said she was evacuated from her home and that since then the authorities had not offered enough help.
“The state is making cruel decisions that place most of the economic burden on its citizens. We must all oppose this,” Ronen said.
Now Ronen is afraid of another escalation. She is suffering from PTSD and has trouble sleeping. “The thought of evacuation still fills me with anger today,” she told Haaretz.
Over 15,000 city residents were evacuated from their homes after Iranian missiles struck their buildings last June.
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