"The Israeli Public Doesn't Know the Truth": Former Senior Defense Official Speaks Out for the First Time

"Y", is speaking under conditions of strict anonymity after decades of extensive activity in the Israeli security establishment, operating around the world - in both neutral countries and behind enemy lines. Now, for the first time, he gives an in-depth interview.

(This interview was conducted in Hebrew and later translated into English for an international audience.)

Q: You’ve mentioned that the Israeli media is not telling the public the truth. What exactly are they hiding?

A: The Israeli media sanitizes reality. Iran was a day away from attacking us before we struck them. Nobody spoke about it. And there's way more the public does not know.

The public thinks the situation with Iran is contained, but Iran is not going to surrender. They’ve been fighting Israel since 1970, years before the Islamic Revolution. This is not a temporary. They are in it for the long run.

We hit them hard. But they know how to absorb damage. Just look at their ten-year war with Iraq. They’re strategic, more like self-paced, long-distance runners than short-term sprinters - which is what the jews are. Their arsenal has been reduced, yes, but they still possess a diverse toolkit to exert sustained pressure on Israel.

Meanwhile, we’re stretched thin, deep in Gaza, active up north, and in Judea and Samaria there’s a war going on for two years that nobody even reports.

Q: Could the United States step in and help finish off Iran’s nuclear program?

A: The Americans aren’t engaged yet. They’re not afraid of Iran anymore. Maybe they used to be, not now. They’ve realized Iran isn’t what it once was. What they are worried about is Russia, China, Pakistan, North Korea - all of whom are supplying arms and keeping the regime afloat. If Iran collapses, those suppliers lose a major regional client. Putin’s scientists are still helping Iran build a nuclear reactor. This isn’t over. So the U.S. posture is cautious.

Q: As a former IDF intelligence officer, how does Iran differ from the Sunni Arab states in terms of perception and behavior?

A: They’re way more sophisticated and methodical. The Iranians built a global terror superpower. Hezbollah, Houthis, militias in Iraq and Syria. They don’t operate emotionally; they plan. And they’re getting funding from Qatar.

Q: Speaking of the devil, how is this war impacting Qatar’s regional influence and ambitions?

A: It doesn’t. Qatar thrives in chaos. IAF Commander Beni Peled once said they can tear us apart only from the inside, and that’s exactly what they’re doing. They fund the Israeli left, the global left, some fringe-right, radical-feminist movements, the university protests. No wonder Israel is hated all over.

Instead of isolating Qatar, it is Israel who legitimized them. Israel allowed them to pose as mediators between them and major factions in the Muslim world. That was a grave mistake.

Q: What are the actual chances of regime change in Iran?

A: It can be done, but not cheaply. The opposition needs serious military support. Weapons - lots of them. Only the United States can make that happen. But I don’t think they want to. Trump’s advisors, Bibi’s advisors - it’s the same crew. Bad advice all around. There’s a whole gang of leftists advising leaders - and they push for appeasement.

Q: Is that why Trump engage in talks with Iran?

A: His advisors pressured him. He never should have. Now, Khamenei is in survival mode - and part of surviving is playing diplomatic games while keeping proxy wars active.

Q: What would it take to bring down the regime?

A: It comes down to money. Israel might manage it, but it can't sustain a long-term missile war. We don’t have deep missile stockpiles; our defense doctrine leans heavily on air power. That’s a political decision. Missiles are cheaper, but we’ve chosen to invest in pilots - a small, elite group drawn from a very specific segment of society.

Without American support, it becomes extremely difficult. If we go it alone, we risk direct involvement from Russia and China. We’re limited in resources. The U.S. must carry part of the burden.

Q: Even if the nuclear program is neutralized, what about Iran’s ballistic missile program?

A: It’s a critical issue, one that only Israel and a handful of U.S. officials seem willing to address. Taking out Iran’s nuclear facilities doesn’t erase the strategic threat. Their intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) program could be operational again within five years.

Q: So regime change is the only solution?

A: Yes.