Israel ready to 'return Iran to Stone Age awaiting US approval, says Defence Minister Katz
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has declared that the IDF is ready to "return Iran to the Stone Age" by targeting its national energy grid and economic infrastructure.
'Awaiting a green light from the US'
In a sharp escalation of rhetoric, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz declared on Thursday (Apr 23) that the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) are prepared to resume military operations against Tehran, awaiting only a "green light" from the US to deliver a knockout blow that would return the country to the "Stone Age."
The statement, delivered via a video address following a high-level security assessment in Tel Aviv, comes at a delicate moment for the current regional ceasefire. Katz asserted that Israel's military objectives have been fully updated and categorised for maximum impact.
"The IDF is ready both defensively and offensively, and the targets have been marked," Katz stated. "We are awaiting a green light from the US first and foremost to complete the elimination of the Khamenei dynasty... and additionally to return Iran to the Dark Age and the Stone Age by destroying key energy facilities and dismantling its national economic infrastructure."
Shifting the scope of conflict
Katz’s comments signal a shift in Israeli strategy toward total infrastructural collapse. While previous engagements focused on military assets and nuclear facilities, the current doctrine appears to target the very foundations of Iranian civilian and economic life.
The defence minister warned that a renewed offensive would be "different and lethal", focusing on the most sensitive points of the Iranian regime, which has already sustained "tremendous strikes" since the war began on February 28. The initial wave of the conflict reportedly claimed the life of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, leaving the country under a shrouded and disputed succession.
The ceasefire dilemma
The timing of Katz’s address is significant, as US President Donald Trump recently announced an indefinite extension of the April 8 ceasefire to allow for potential negotiations in Pakistan. However, Israel remains sceptical of diplomatic overtures.
Strait of Hormuz 'sealed up tight': Trumprm
While Washington maintains a naval blockade that Trump claims has "sealed up tight" the Strait of Hormuz, Israel is pushing for a decisive military conclusion.The US has so far urged restraint to avoid further destabilizing the global economy, though Trump has simultaneously threatened to strike Iranian bridges and energy sites if the strait is not reopened immediately.
Pete Hegseth's 'Stone Age' warning
Earlier in April, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth tweeted, “back to the Stone Age”. The comments come amid escalating West Asia war, and days before Donald Trump’s pause and ultimatum for Iran ends. To which Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps aerospace commander Brigadier General Seyed Majid Moosavi responded with, “It is you who are taking your soldiers to their graves, not Iran, whom you seek to drag back to the Stone Age.” He added, “Hollywood delusions have so poisoned your minds that, with your paltry 250-year history, you threaten a civilisation over 6,000 years old.”
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