Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., told Newsmax on Tuesday that Israel likely needs to go on the offensive against Iran and its terror proxies because at the end of the day, defeating terrorists means they have to be "dead terrorists."
Scott joined "The Record With Greta Van Susteren" as Israel and the Western world await Iran's retaliatory response, reported as imminent for two weeks, over the killings of two terrorist leaders — one Hamas and one Hezbollah — at the end of July. Israel has remained mum on responsibility for the death of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, but Iran has pinned the blame on Israel.
"I think [President Joe] Biden and [Vice President Kamala] Harris have put Israel in a position that they almost have to go on the offense," Scott said.
"First off, Iran cannot be allowed to have a nuclear weapon because they've been clear what they're going to do with it. They're going to destroy Israel and they want to kill every Jew," he continued.
"We know that Iran has attacked Israel already through the Houthis, Hezbollah, and Hamas. ... So I don't think they have a choice almost but go on the offensive."
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said last week that Israel must be prepared for a "quick transition to offense" to answer Iran retaliation. And it was Gallant who warned terror group Hezbollah in mid-July that Israel can "in an instant" wage an offensive against them in Lebanon.
"I think that the Biden-Harris administration has got to say that they will — whatever Israel does, we're going to support our greatest ally in the Middle East, maybe our biggest ally around the world, and the only democracy in the Middle East," Scott said.
"Whatever Israel does — they've been attacked; they're on the defensive — they've got to destroy the terrorists. I mean, the only way you're going to stop terrorists is they've gotta be dead terrorists."
Scott said Iran hasn't yet retaliated for the deaths of Haniyeh and Hezbollah's top military commander Fuad Shukr because its leaders don't want to meet the same fate.
"Do you want to be ... an Iranian leader knowing you're gonna be dead in just a few months if you attack Israel? So, I think they're realistic. Israel has got the guts to do it," Scott said.
"They know Biden and Harris don't have the guts to defend America, but they know that [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu and the leadership in Israel have the guts to defend Israel."
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Mark Swanson ✉
Mark Swanson, a Newsmax writer and editor, has nearly three decades of experience covering news, culture and politics.
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