Reuven Azar, Israel’s Ambassador to India, told The Indian Express that Israel’s recent strikes on Iran were carried out during what he described as an “operational opportunity” that emerged shortly after Prime Minister Narendra Modi concluded his visit to the country.
In the interview, Azar indicated that there had been no prior knowledge during Modi’s visit that such an operation would take place. He explained that while discussions with the Indian prime minister had covered regional developments, there had been no concrete plan at the time to launch strikes, and therefore nothing specific could have been shared.
India and Israel had earlier elevated their relationship to a “Special Strategic Partnership” and signed 17 agreements following talks between Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on February 26. Two days later, Israel and the United States initiated military action against Iran, Indian Express reported.
Reflecting on the preparation behind the strikes, Azar said Israel had faced threats from Iran for decades and had consequently invested heavily in strengthening its intelligence and military capabilities. He stated that Israel had spent billions of dollars over the years to better understand Iran’s leadership, military infrastructure and strategic intentions, including identifying key decision-makers and potential threats.
He further noted that Israel had developed advanced military technologies to counter Iran’s air defence systems and to defend against missile and rocket attacks. According to Azar, these threats had not only originated from Iran itself but also from groups aligned with Tehran in other countries.
Azar added that Israel had reached a high level of preparedness and that, through the Abraham Accords, it had enhanced coordination on military operations and airspace surveillance in the Middle East alongside the US Central Command. He said that Israel had been coordinating closely with the United States for some time and had been waiting for what he termed the “right moment” to act against Iranian leadership, without knowing exactly when such an opportunity would arise.
He clarified that the decision to proceed with the operation was taken only after Modi’s departure and that Israel’s security cabinet granted approval on Saturday morning, shortly before the strikes were launched. Azar described the action as the utilisation of a real-time intelligence-based operational opportunity.