Israel-Iran War: Herzog Urges Patience as U.S. and Israeli Strikes Intensify

Israeli President Isaac Herzog has declined to provide a timeline for ending the ongoing conflict with Iran, emphasizing the need for a decisive and lasting outcome rather than a rushed resolution. Speaking to Germany's Bild newspaper, Herzog stated that measuring progress by speed alone would be counterproductive, stressing instead the importance of achieving meaningful results that reshape the broader Middle East landscape.

Herzog defended the joint U.S. and Israeli airstrikes targeting Iranian oil infrastructure, arguing that dismantling Tehran's financial resources is essential to weakening its ability to fund regional aggression and global terrorism. He believes that neutralizing the Iranian threat would unlock a new era of stability and development across the Middle East, calling the potential outcome "fantastic" for the entire region.

His comments came as American and Israeli forces escalated what Pentagon officials and Iranian ground sources described as the most intense wave of airstrikes since the conflict began. The military campaign unfolded even as global financial markets signaled growing expectations that President Donald Trump would push for an early end to hostilities.

Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar added a measure of reassurance, clarifying that Israel has no intention of waging an indefinite war, and that ongoing consultations with Washington are focused on determining the right moment to bring the conflict to a close.

The coordinated strikes are being framed by Israeli leadership as a strategic effort to fundamentally alter the geopolitical balance in the Middle East. By reducing Iran's capacity to finance proxy forces and destabilizing networks, both Israel and the U.S. appear committed to ensuring any ceasefire reflects a durable shift in regional power dynamics rather than a temporary pause in hostilities.