'Could have inflicted much greater damage', says Israel’s Ambassador to India Reuven Azar after strikes on Iran

In an interview with NDTV on Saturday, Azar explained that Israel’s airstrikes on Iran earlier in the day were meant to convey two messages: first, that Israel will not allow continued attacks from Iran or its proxies; and second, that Israel possesses the capacity to target multiple sites in Iran if Tehran escalates tensions.

“What Israel did is a very precise strike that took out Iran's air defense systems and targeted military installations connected to their missile and drone programs. The signal here is very clear: Israel will not agree to continue to be attacked by Iran either directly or indirectly,” Azar said, referring to Iran’s association with groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, with which Israel is already engaged in conflicts.

Earlier, Iran launched 200 ballistic missiles at Israeli targets on October 1.

Azar asserted that Iran is now vulnerable and said Israel is undeterred by Tehran’s warnings of a “proportionate reaction” to the strikes.

“We are ready for it. We are completely coordinating with our allies, especially the United States, which is fully backing our moves. Israel could have inflicted much greater damage on Iran but limited its response to stay focused on the Israeli cabinet’s priority: to completely eradicate the military capabilities of Hamas, bring back our hostages, and prevent Hamas from rearming,” he added.

In northern Israel, where tensions run high along the border with Lebanon, Azar emphasized Israel’s goal to resettle communities previously evacuated due to Hezbollah’s attacks.

“We are operating there as well. We have uprooted Hezbollah’s military infrastructure that has been established for decades. And we will not allow Iran to intervene and attack Israel. If they continue doing that, Israel will act in a far more decisive manner,” he warned.

Responding to whether Israel is in an unending conflict, Azar acknowledged that it might appear so, yet maintained that Israel is defending itself and has now curtailed Hamas’ missile attacks, while Hezbollah’s leadership has been dismantled. He said it is now up to Iran to “accept the new reality.”

“If they don’t accept the new reality and come to the table to create a more stable situation in our region, they will pay the price,” he stated.

Azar noted that Israel remains open to diplomacy but stressed that any talks must be underpinned by Iran’s acknowledgment of Israel’s security needs.

“We want to restore peace in our region. We are prepared for diplomacy, but it has to lay on the foundation of the understanding of the other side that Israel will be relentless. We will not rest until we are sure that assurances for our security are met and we will maintain the right to self-defense against any aggression in the future,” he said.

Commenting on Iran’s claims that the Israeli strike caused minimal damage, Azar expressed relief, suggesting it might indicate Iran’s reluctance to continue aggression.

“Anybody that knows something about military capabilities knows that the S-300 [air defense system] that the Iranians have is not capable of stopping the F-35s and the F-16s of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and not capable of stopping our pilots from hitting any targets they want. So they can continue saying what they want, but the situation is very clear, and the message has been conveyed in a very clear way,” he said.