IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said Friday that Israelis must prepare for a “prolonged campaign” against Iran to “eliminate a threat of this magnitude,” indicating that a quick end to the campaign was unlikely.

In a video statement, Zamir said Iran had been “building for years a clear plan to destroy the State of Israel” and that in recent months, “the plan reached the point of no return, where the capabilities reached operational capability.”

Zamir said Israel launched its opening attack on Iran knowing that “Iran possessed around 2,500 surface-to-surface missiles, with a high production rate, such that within approximately two years, they were expected to possess around 8,000 missiles.”

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said Friday that Israelis must prepare for a “prolonged campaign” against Iran to “eliminate a threat of this magnitude,” indicating that a quick end to the campaign was unlikely.

In a video statement, Zamir said Iran had been “building for years a clear plan to destroy the State of Israel” and that in recent months, “the plan reached the point of no return, where the capabilities reached operational capability.”

Zamir said Israel launched its opening attack on Iran knowing that “Iran possessed around 2,500 surface-to-surface missiles, with a high production rate, such that within approximately two years, they were expected to possess around 8,000 missiles.”

Iran’s ballistic missile efforts, nuclear advances and regional terror proxies “compelled us to strike and deliver a preemptive blow,” said the general.

“The IDF will not stand by and watch as threats develop,” he said.

“As part of an emerging doctrine, we will act proactively and in advance to prevent an existential threat and to face any challenge,” said Zamir.

Israel launched the operation against Iran following some 20 months in which the Jewish state has significantly degraded the Islamic Republic’s proxies in Gaza, Lebanon, and Yemen, in a series of conflicts that began with the Hamas onslaught of October 7, 2023.

According to Zamir, the IDF “prepared for this operation for years” and launched it “thanks to the convergence of operational and strategic conditions.”

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said Friday that Israelis must prepare for a “prolonged campaign” against Iran to “eliminate a threat of this magnitude,” indicating that a quick end to the campaign was unlikely.

In a video statement, Zamir said Iran had been “building for years a clear plan to destroy the State of Israel” and that in recent months, “the plan reached the point of no return, where the capabilities reached operational capability.”

Zamir said Israel launched its opening attack on Iran knowing that “Iran possessed around 2,500 surface-to-surface missiles, with a high production rate, such that within approximately two years, they were expected to possess around 8,000 missiles.”

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Iran’s ballistic missile efforts, nuclear advances and regional terror proxies “compelled us to strike and deliver a preemptive blow,” said the general.

“The IDF will not stand by and watch as threats develop,” he said.

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“As part of an emerging doctrine, we will act proactively and in advance to prevent an existential threat and to face any challenge,” said Zamir.

Israel launched the operation against Iran following some 20 months in which the Jewish state has significantly degraded the Islamic Republic’s proxies in Gaza, Lebanon, and Yemen, in a series of conflicts that began with the Hamas onslaught of October 7, 2023.

According to Zamir, the IDF “prepared for this operation for years” and launched it “thanks to the convergence of operational and strategic conditions.”

“Had we delayed, there was a risk of losing these conditions and entering the campaign in the future from a position of clear disadvantage,” he said. “We understood that history would not forgive us if we failed to act now to defend the existence of the Jewish people in the State of Israel.”

The IDF’s opening “surprise” strikes on Iran “achieved extraordinary results,” said Zamir.

“We eliminated the enemy’s senior command, inflicted deep damage to components of the nuclear program, opened an aerial corridor to Tehran, identified and destroyed about half of the missile launchers, some just minutes before launch, and surprised the enemy despite its heightened state of alert,” he said.

“Dear citizens of Israel, he continued. “Alongside the offensive operations, the defense of the home front continues. This is a different challenge from what we have known until now. The enemy, in its weakness, deliberately targets civilians, as we have experienced once again in the recent barrage. Our enemies do not understand that the Israeli home front is the source of the IDF’s strength, not its weakness.”

“We are preparing for a range of possible developments. We have embarked on the most complex campaign in our history. We launched this campaign in order to eliminate a threat of this magnitude, against such an enemy, which requires readiness for a prolonged campaign,” said Zamir.

“The IDF is prepared for this. With each passing day, our freedom of action is expanding, and the enemy’s is shrinking,” he said. “The campaign is not over. While we have achieved significant results, challenging days still lie ahead, and we must remain alert and united until the mission is complete.”

His caution to gird for a long campaign came as Channel 12 reported that Israel’s security establishment has realized that the military campaign against Iran, which began last Friday, will take longer than thought just days ago.

IDF officials told reporters on Tuesday that the campaign’s goals would be reached within a week or two. The shift is likely connected to US President Donald Trump saying that he would take up to two weeks to decide whether the US would join the campaign.

Israel says its sweeping assault on Iran’s top military leaders, nuclear scientists, uranium enrichment sites, and ballistic missile program is necessary to prevent the Islamic Republic from realizing its avowed plan to destroy the Jewish state.

Iran has retaliated by launching over 470 ballistic missiles and around 1,000 drones at Israel. So far, Iran’s missile attacks have killed 24 people and wounded thousands in Israel, according to health officials and hospitals.

Some of the missiles have caused heavy damage to apartments and other civilian infrastructure, including a university, a hospital and an oil refinery.

IDF indicates it’s not running low on interceptor missiles

As Israel prepared for a longer conflict, the IDF said Friday that it is “prepared and ready to handle any scenario,” appearing to belie US media reports that Israel would have to begin rationing its interceptor missiles.

The military has officially declined to comment on specific munitions matters.