While the world’s attention was focused elsewhere, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei quietly published a book that leaves no doubt he is committed to Israel’s destruction. What is surprising, however, is his strategy.
In the 416-page volume, currently only available in Iran and secretly smuggled to the United States, Khamenei outlines his sinister plan to kill Israel slowly with decades of low-intensity warfare. By funding and arming multiple terrorist organizations such as Hamas and Hezbollah, Iran intends to make life in Israel so unbearable and expensive that most of the country’s Jews choose to flee. Khamenei assumes a majority of Israelis would prefer to find safe haven in countries where they possess dual nationality than stay and fight.
Notably, Khamenei does not say he plans to drop a nuclear bomb on Israel. Instead, he professes a great desire to stand in Jerusalem, at Islam’s third holiest site, and pray. Khamenei envisions a Palestinian state where any remaining Jews could live under Muslim rule.
Where Iran’s nuclear weapons program does play a role, however, is in deterring Israel from striking back at Iran as they sponsor endless waves of terrorism against Israel. This has long been a fear of Israel’s leaders, who have argued for over a decade that this would be the result if Iran achieved its goal of nuclear weapons.
In recent weeks, Israeli officials have pointed to increased terrorist activity on the Syrian and Lebanese borders as evidence of Iran’s movements in this direction. If the deal struck between Iran and the P5+1 nations goes into full effect next month as planned, Iran will receive an instant influx of roughly $150 billion in frozen Iranian assets as international sanctions are lifted. This money will undoubtedly be used to fund the war against Israel that Khamenei so clearly explained in his book.
