Ex-Israel spymaster warns war against Hamas 'not even at half-way point yet'

08 November 2023 , 20:00

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Efraim Halevy has grim warning over the Israel-Hamas war (Image: ANP/AFP via Getty Images)

Former Israeli spymaster Efraim Halevy has warned the war against Hamas has not even reached the halfway mark yet.

But Halevy - who was director of Mossad before retiring in 2002 -said he believes Iran will not join the war because of Israel’s superior military might. Claims by UK-born Halevy - who spent four decades in Mossad - were made as Israeli troops were fighting a ferocious battle with Hamas to wipe out the network.

The 88 year-old intelligence legend - once of Israel’s leading chiefs in its covert war on terror - told reporters: “I think that it is true to say that we are not even at the middle of the war. I believe that the war will last for longer than either side could have anticipated.

“And I think the longer the war goes on the better chance we have of ultimately getting the upper-hand. We have to be unflinching in the way that we are conducting this war.” And he warned that Israel needs “stamina” for the fight they are facing, whilst then having to deal with the future for Gaza.

Asked by the Daily Mirror how remote the chance of Iran becoming “overtly” involved in the conflict is he added: “One of the disappointments for Hamas is that the Iranians have not come to support them and that leader of Hezbollah has not either. One of the successes that we have had at the moment is that Iran shows no appetite for entering the war either in the north or the south.”

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He was referring to a recent speech by Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah in which he fell short of announcing all-out war from south Lebanon. Mr Halevy added: “Iran today is in a different state than it has been for many many years.”

And he said of Israel’s defence of the northern border: “We have assembled a very serious capability in the north which would hit the Iranians head-on. And I think that the Iranians are probably aware of this. In this we have succeeded enormously.”

Mr Halevy was the 9th director of Mossad and served under Netanyahu, Barak and Sharon before retiring in 2002. He was born in London and moved to Israel in 1948. After serving as the ninth director of Mossad he became head of national security and has played a major role in orchestrating peace deals with neighbouring Arab countries.

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Chris Hughes