WASHINGTON, JUN 19: Israel must prepare for repeated rounds of fighting with Iran, former Navy commander Maj. Gen. (res.) Eliezer Marom warned in an interview with 103FM on Monday.

According to Marom, the Middle East has entered a new phase in which diplomatic agreements do not necessarily create stability, and may even lead to escalation.

Marom opened with a direct reference to the Iranian threat and the implications of emerging agreements.

“We are in a long war with Iran, and Israel needs to prepare every few months for an operation or war with Iran that will last several days or weeks. If the agreement is signed, we need to understand that and prepare for it,” the former senior officer warned.

During the interview, he analyzed the emerging ceasefire agreement and its regional significance for Israel, and sharply criticized the conduct of Israel’s political leadership.

Israeli Air Force fighter jet seen in central Israel amid the ongoing war, April 12, 2026.
Israeli Air Force fighter jet seen in central Israel amid the ongoing war, April 12, 2026. (credit: NATI SHOHAT/FLASH90)
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“The inner circle around the prime minister does not exist. One person is making decisions, and here even Ron Dermer, who understands America and did good things with this administration, simply left and went,” he said. “He should be called up for reserve duty.”

Marom also addressed diplomatic moves surrounding Lebanon, saying Israel should move diplomatically and do so quickly.

“President Trump, in what he signed last night, is approving Iran’s conquest of Lebanon. Do you understand that? He is now signing an agreement with the Iranians about Lebanon. The president of Lebanon should be offended by this, and all the leaders in the Middle East who are listening to this, Sisi, Erdogan, and bin Salman, should understand that this is a bad agreement.”

He later added that he sees a preferable diplomatic alternative. “The IDF recommended doing this earlier; let’s move quickly toward an agreement on Lebanon, and along the way thwart Iran’s taking over Lebanon. The only thing that can be done diplomatically right now is to close an agreement with the Lebanese and say that once the Lebanese Army is strong enough, we will give southern Lebanon back to it. President Aoun accepts this, and we need to move along this path,” Marom said.

“It is impossible that we are going to talk in Washington with two brigadier generals.”

When asked about the possibility of escalation, he answered firmly: “And what will happen if Iran responds to every Israeli action on Lebanese soil?” “Then let there be missiles, please. This agreement is bad for us in any case. If they want to return to fighting? I hate to say it, but from Israel’s perspective, this is a preferable alternative,” Marom said.

‘No reason to believe the Iranians’
Later in the interview, Marom also addressed the progress of Iran’s nuclear program and expressed deep skepticism about the reliability of international understandings.

“There is no reason to believe the Iranians. They have enriched uranium in Iran, and the oversight is not entirely clear; that is the cornerstone of any agreement on the nuclear issue. How do they suddenly have uranium enriched to 60%? Isn’t that a violation? It is a complete violation,” he said.

“They are highly motivated to obtain nuclear weapons, because despite all their bravado, they understand that Israel made a mockery of their air defenses.”

Marom concluded with a call for Israel to preserve freedom of security action even without American backing. “Israel is not alone, we do not need the Americans, we did it excellently in the 12-day war,” the reserve major general said. He said he is not worried that independent Israeli action in the region would harm relations with the United States. “Beyond values, there are interests, and the American interest is that Israel be here in the Middle East; there is nothing like Israel, and they know that very well,” he argued.

“Beyond that, the political system, even with all the bad polls, when you ask an American, he will tell you that Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East and that he will not let it fall. There may be brakes, but that’s fine.”