Overview
The Israeli military has made preparations for a campaign targeting Iran that it estimates could extend over a period measured in weeks, a military spokesperson told reporters on Tuesday. Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani provided the assessment during an online briefing, emphasizing that the projected duration could shift in response to evolving circumstances.
Details from the briefing
Lieutenant Colonel Shoshani said, "We have prepared a general scope of weeks," while also acknowledging that the length of any military campaign could change depending on developments. He characterized the progress made to date as positive.
When asked whether Israel might deploy ground forces into Iran, Shoshani replied that such an outcome was unlikely. He said, "I don’t think that’s something very likely at the moment for Israeli forces. There’s not a practical idea at the moment that I know of," indicating no current plan for ground operations had been presented during the briefing.
Context reported
The briefing came against the backdrop of air strikes conducted by Israel and the United States since Saturday, actions that the report states have prompted Iranian retaliation. In a separate public comment cited in the report, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that the U.S.-Israel campaign with Iran could take "some time" but "would not take years."
Report structure and limits
This account is limited to the statements delivered at the referenced online briefing and the remarks attributed to the Israeli prime minister. It reflects the spokesperson's description of planning, the acknowledgement that timelines could change, the assessment that progress had been positive, the expressed unlikelihood of a ground invasion at present, and the timing of air strikes and retaliatory actions.
Bottom line
Israeli military officials say they are prepared for an operation that could last weeks while indicating that a ground invasion of Iran is not considered probable at this time. Ongoing air strikes and reciprocal actions form the immediate operational context.