Yitzhak Brick warns: Iran's missile program is an existential threat and Trump is not working for our benefit

Retired Major General in the occupation army, Yitzhak Brick, believes that the security and political establishment is misjudging the real dangers facing the state, pointing out that the current focus on closing the Strait of Hormuz or uranium enrichment levels in Iran is merely a preoccupation with superficial matters. Brick explained that the fundamental threat lies in the massive missile arsenal developed by Tehran, in addition to the network of allies and proxies spread throughout the region.

In an analytical article published by Maariv newspaper, Brick stressed that addressing the uranium crisis and opening shipping lanes represents treating the visible symptoms while ignoring the underlying chronic disease. He affirmed that allowing Iran's missile program to grow unchecked, with continued financial and military support flowing to Tehran's allies in Lebanon, Gaza, Yemen, and Iraq, is an implicit approval of Iran's transformation into a destructive conventional power.

The retired general warned that Iran's possession of approximately ten thousand precision missiles poses a direct existential threat, even in the absence of a nuclear bomb. He indicated that Israel might suddenly find itself facing a formidable missile army with international cover, while Tehran simultaneously and frantically seeks to acquire nuclear weapons to enhance its influence and deter its adversaries.

Brick touched upon American policy under Donald Trump, calling for the necessity of telling the Israeli public the truth that the American president is not acting from a Zionist perspective. He explained that Trump adopts the 'America First' principle in all his decisions, meaning that Washington's economic and political interests take precedence over any security considerations concerning its allies in the Middle East.

Brick believes that Trump's efforts to end the war in Lebanon and impose a ceasefire on Israel are merely tools to achieve internal stability in the United States. For the American administration, opening international shipping lanes represents a significant economic achievement and a symbol of political victory, regardless of the long-term security repercussions for the Israeli side.

The article warned that conceding the Strait of Hormuz as a pressure card at this time represents a major strategic loss against Tehran, especially with the end of Trump's term approaching. Once the current administration departs, Israel may find itself completely alone in confronting Iran, which will have rehabilitated its economy and become richer and more armed than ever before.

Brick cautioned that the expected scenario if the current approach continues is Israel's loss of all deterrence fronts it has tried to build over decades. He considered that absolute reliance on American support in all security and military matters represents a dangerous gamble with uncalculated consequences, especially given the fluctuations in political interests in Washington.

To prevent the collapse of the deterrence system, Brick called on the Israeli leadership to work immediately on several parallel axes to ensure strategic survival. Foremost among these axes is the necessity of strengthening regional alliances with Arab countries that share Israel's concerns about Iranian expansion, to create a unified and strong front of resistance.

He also called for the necessity of rebuilding bridges of trust and relations with both Republican and Democratic parties in the United States to ensure sustained support that is not tied solely to the person of the president. He stressed that diversifying sources of political and diplomatic support is an urgent necessity to confront radical changes in American foreign policy towards regional issues.

Brick concluded his vision by emphasizing the importance of building a completely independent military force for the army, capable of dealing with existential threats without needing to wait for a green light or urgent supplies from abroad. He considered that true sovereignty lies in the ability to protect national security by self-reliant means, away from the fluctuations of international alliances.

Ten thousand precision missiles pose an existential threat even without nuclear implications, and Israel may find itself facing a formidable missile army.