Israeli President Isaac Herzog told Newsmax on Tuesday that the endgame for Iran is to prevent the rogue regime from becoming the dominant military power in the region.
Herzog told Newsmax correspondent Zach Anders in Jerusalem that Israel just wants to live in peace, evoking the Bible's vision of a people dwelling safely in their land, each under his own tree, secure and unafraid.
"It's not our aim to come and say all to all other nations we're hegemonious," Herzog said. "As we say, we want to live in peace and dwell, you know, under our palm tree, as the Bible says."
He acknowledged there could be benefits to being the region's dominant military power.
"But we don't necessarily have to say it because it's not that we are now in an ego battle," he said. "What we are trying to say is we want to build a coalition of nations that in terms of moving toward peace, in a dialog between Jew and Muslim and Christian, something that brings a better future to our children.
"That's what we're trying to do."
President Donald Trump said Saturday, after the joint U.S.-Israel military operation against Iran began, that the Islamic Republic had armed, trained, and funded terrorist militias "that had soaked the earth with blood and guts."
Herzog said ordinary Iranians should consider how their government has spent national resources funding terror abroad instead of improving life at home.
"All you worked for has been spent on terror all over the world and in other countries in the region, just to create havoc and terror and pain and agony and bloodshed," Herzog said. "Just as President Trump boldly explained in his statement on Saturday."
GET TODAY NEWSMAX+:
NEWSMAX is the fastest-growing cable news channel in America with more than 30 million people watching!
Reuters Institute reports NEWSMAX is one of the top news brands in the U.S.
You need to watch NEWSMAX today.
Get it with great shows from Rob Schmitt, Greta Van Susteren, Greg Kelly, Carl Higbie, Rob Finnerty – and many more!
Find the NEWSMAX channel on your cable system – Go Here Now
BEST OFFER:
Sign up for NEWSMAX+ and get NEWSMAX, our streaming channel NEWSMAX2 and our military channel World at War.
Find hundreds of shows, movies and specials.
Even get Jon Voight’s special series and President Trump’s comedy programs and much more!
Watch NEWSMAX+ on your smartphone or home TV app.
Watch NEWSMAX anytime, anywhere!
Start your FREE trial now: NewsmaxPlus.com
Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.