Retired Gen. Avivi to Newsmax: Israel Needs 'Strong America' to Lead Coalition

Israel needs a "strong America" that will "lead a coalition and deal together with us with this major threat of Iran," and that will be determined by who wins the race for the White House, retired Israel Defense Forces Brig. Gen. Amir Avivi told Newsmax on Sunday.

Avivi, the founder and director of Israel's Defense and Security Forum, told Newsmax's "Sunday Report" that there is only "one opportunity" to deal with Iran, as Israel "understands that we are in an existential war."

"We have one opportunity to really dismantle the old Shia axis, and also deal with Iran with the head of the snake," said Avivi.

Iran has built up its strategic depth through the use of proxies such as Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthi rebels in Yemen, and Israel is "dismantling all these strategic depths," he added.

"Israel is starting to look at Iran and understanding that this war is not going to end until Iran will stop posing a threat to Israel," said Avivi. "Now, this is a campaign that is just starting. It will take many months, so it will be crucial to see what will be the next administration's policy."

Retired U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Blaine Holt, also on Sunday's program, discussed talks that have been happening between former President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who reportedly told Trump that Israel will make its own decisions, based on its best interests.

"I think that Prime Minister Netanyahu is probably making an assertion that there is a likelihood that President Trump is returning," said Holt, stressing that the two men do not always agree.

"They both have different views of what they're looking at," he said. "But in Israel's case, they're doing a fine job of that and then eventually deal with the Iranian threat the way that they see fit … he wants to make darn sure that President Trump understands the war through his eyes."

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