Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has said Israel has “no interest” in becoming directly involved in the ongoing conflict between Iran and the United States, describing the current situation as favourable for Israel. Speaking at a conference on Tuesday, Smotrich, a far-right member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet, was quoted by several Israeli media outlets as saying: “The current situation is favourable for us, and we have no interest in getting involved.” He said Israel’s primary objective was to weaken Iran’s leadership, adding that economic measures remained the most effective way to achieve that goal. His remarks come days after a senior Israeli official told Israel’s Channel 12 that the country was preparing for the possibility of joining a broader US military campaign against Iran. The official said Israeli security agencies believed the likelihood of a significant escalation in the near future had increased considerably. He also said Israel remained in constant contact with US officials but described US President Donald Trump as “unpredictable”, adding that Washington appeared to be moving towards intensifying its military strikes against Iran.
