Following Israel's precision military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., said on Newsmax on Saturday that Tehran was "never going to stop producing fissile material," justifying the action as necessary to curb the regime's longstanding nuclear ambitions.
Issa, a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said Israel's strike on Iran's nuclear infrastructure was a long-overdue response to a threat the international community had ignored for decades.
Appearing on "Saturday Agenda," Issa praised the operation and said the Islamic Republic of Iran had never seriously intended to abandon its nuclear ambitions.
"Iran was never going to stop producing fissile material," Issa said. "For more than 45 years, we have been dealing with a rogue nation, exporting terror with ambitions all the way back to the '80s of nuclear power."
Shortly before dawn Friday, Israel launched "Operation Rising Lion," a coordinated assault targeting Iran's nuclear program. The attack involved heavy airstrikes on enrichment facilities and precision hits on military leaders in Tehran. According to Israeli officials, the goal was to decapitate command elements and slow down Iran's alleged march toward nuclear armament, CNN reported.
Issa emphasized the calculated nature of the strikes and contrasted Israel's approach with Iran's retaliatory actions.
"What Israel was able to do, rather than indiscriminate bombing the way you're seeing come into Israel — when they went to Iran, they hit the targets with great precision and have really decapitated a lot of the [Iranian] capability for a second time," Issa said.
However, according to Iranian officials, the Israeli attacks killed at least 78 people and injured more than 320, mostly civilians, a claim disputed by Israeli sources. In response, Iran launched what it described as a "crushing response," firing hundreds of ballistic missiles. Israel reported three deaths and dozens of injuries following those strikes.
Issa underscored that Israel's operation targeted Iran's nuclear infrastructure and key military figures involved in the development and potential deployment of nuclear weapons.
"They've reduced their ability to produce nuclear weapons, reduced their ability to have the expertise by killing some of the leaders that were designing them, and also reduced their ability to deliver them," he said. "You know, a nuclear weapon is not much good if it has to sit on the ground in your own country."
The strikes reportedly hit Iranian missile platforms capable of delivering a nuclear payload, a detail Issa cited as critical to curbing Tehran's threat to regional stability.
"Now Israel finds itself in need of Britain, the United States, and the rest of our common allies to defend itself from Iran's unwarranted attacks," he said.
He concluded by framing the Israeli strike as a necessary action that had long been anticipated: "So Israel finally did what everyone knew had to be done — stop Iran from going nuclear."
The exchange of fire has heightened tensions in the Middle East and drawn international scrutiny. At a United Nations Security Council meeting Friday, Iranian officials condemned Israel's actions, while Israel vowed to hold Iran accountable for its strikes on civilian targets, according to Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz.
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Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.