“Three Decades, Zero Success”: Ex‑Israeli Defence Minister’s Stark Admission to Khamenei

According to Saed News, Yoav Galant’s recent missive to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei represents an unvarnished appraisal of Israel’s longstanding campaign to undermine Iran’s highest authority. Drawing on three decades of intelligence assessments, Galant outlines six key revelations:

First, Galant acknowledges that Khamenei’s relentless drive to establish Iran as the region’s pre‑eminent power—from economic reform to cultural influence—has succeeded beyond expectations. The Supreme Leader’s rallying call during Ashura to sing “Ey Irân” is now seen as the culmination of a 30‑year strategy for national resurgence.

Second, Galant credits Khamenei’s leadership with forging what he terms the “arc of fire” encircling Israel—from Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon to allied forces in Syria, Iraq, and the Houthi movement in Yemen. He admits that Israel repeatedly underestimated this multilayered deterrent.

Third, despite Israel’s recent operational claims of degrading this network, Galant laments a fundamental misreading: Khamenei’s resistance doctrine, “like embers beneath ash,” remains poised to reignite, defying purely kinetic counter‑measures.

Fourth, Galant highlights the Supreme Leader’s enduring “war of attrition” strategy—which spans conventional warfare, proxy engagements, and nuclear ambiguity—as the linchpin of Iran’s regional posture, evident across conflicts from Gaza to the brief 12‑day exchange with Iran itself.

Fifth, the letter betrays the former minister’s growing despondency. He openly admits that his own threats and manoeuvres have not yielded the hoped‑for psychological impact, leaving Israel’s strategic calculus in doubt.

Finally, Galant’s suggestion of renewed negotiations—delivered by a career soldier—speaks volumes: Israel, he implies, must abandon further attempts to coerce Iran through force and accept that deterrence alone may forestall a larger conflagration.