Ahead of Trump meeting, Netanyahu says Israel not seeking war but stays vigilant

Report by Amal Shehadeh, English adaptation by Karine Keuchkerian 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has chosen to lower the tone of his threats, at least rhetorically, which he has routinely directed at multiple fronts, on the eve of his trip to meet U.S. President Donald Trump in Florida.

In a message to countries in the region, Netanyahu said Israel does not intend to initiate any war, but added that it will remain vigilant, closely monitoring developments and responding as necessary.

While reiterating that Iran remains the greatest threat, Netanyahu warned that Israel would respond if Hezbollah and Hamas refuse to disarm, in line with what Tel Aviv considers appropriate.

Netanyahu made the remarks during a graduation ceremony for a new class of pilots at the Hatzerim Airbase. He said Israel will make every effort to preserve its air superiority in the Middle East and to prevent regional states from acquiring U.S. weapons that could disrupt the balance of power in the region.

Israeli military Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir said the country’s air force, alongside ground forces, has succeeded in altering the security reality across the Middle East on both nearby and distant fronts.

The statements come amid a series of security meetings in which a decision was made to avoid escalation on all fronts, while simultaneously deploying reinforced military forces along those fronts to ensure broad monitoring and prevent any exploitation of the situation.