Israel threatens retaliation against Iran; Minister says Pakistan not wanted in Gaza

In a major development, Israel has issued a stark warning to Iran of massive retaliation if attacked again. The nation also ruled out the participation of Pakistan in any Gaza transition force. 

Economy Minister Nir Barkat said, "We targeted them once, we hit them hard, and if they try to pick a fight with us, we'll hit them harder seven times," he told NDTV. "Any country that supported terror is not welcome...and that includes Pakistan," he added when asked about peacekeeping forces.

 "Iran...has been the head of the evil axis. They put a target to destroy the state of Israel...created thousands of ballistic missiles...strengthened Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and they proposed an imminent threat to Israel," Barkat said while accusing Iran of destabilising the Middle East through its decades-long support of armed proxies.

Further, Barkat stated that Israel's military response has exposed Iranian vulnerability. "We dramatically crippled them...hit them very hard...and demonstrated that they're not as big and strong as they thought," Barkat said, adding, "I believe it influenced the whole region, and now they've got to get their act together," he added.

However, Barkat stressed that Israel's focus was on defence, not regime change. "The Israeli interest is to defend Israel," he said. "If they propose a threat, we will hit them hard. If they want to overthrow their regime, it's in Iran's best interest."

Barkat referenced historic peace agreements with Egypt, Jordan, and the Abraham Accords, expressing hope for a future where enemies become friends. He added that if Iran changes its direction and seeks peace with Israel, Israel would be happy to collaborate with it.

He voiced strong support for the Trump administration's peace framework, describing it as a better alternative to the United Nations, which he called biased. Barkat cited cooperation with local Arab leadership in Hebron as a viable model for future governance in Gaza, noting that sheikhs there want to join the Abraham Accords, fight terror alongside Israel, and collaborate on economic development.

He dismissed the two-state solution as unrealistic, calling it a non-starter and pointing to near-unanimous opposition in Israel's parliament. He claimed the Palestinian Authority wants a state to destroy Israel.

On international peacekeeping proposals, Barkat drew a firm line, stating that Israel will not accept involvement from Qatar, Turkey, or Pakistan. He accused those countries of supporting jihadi organisations in Gaza and said Israel would not trust them to have boots on the ground.