Transcript of Benjamin Netanyahu 'believes he is winning the war', says Lord Richard Dannatt

Israel has bombed an apartment block in central Beirut. It's the first time they've struck the center of the Lebanese capital. Since the beginning of its expanded offensive, a Palestinian militant group has said that three of its leaders were killed in the attack. Let's speak to former Chief of the General Staff, and that's Lord Dunet. Hello, my Lord. It's good to see you. Thanks for taking the time this morning. As far as Israel is concerned and their actions to date with Lebanon, they seem to be ratcheting up rather than bringing it back. It does look as though they are massing on the border.

Yes, Kay, good morning. I think Israel feels that it's, over the weekend, struck a massive blow in its own interest by killing Nasrallah. I think Netanyahu feels that he's actually winning the war at the present moment. He's listened but ignored Joe Biden's calls for restraint, other European leaders call for restraint, and he's going forward to the present moment, he thinks he's made enough success in Gaza and is determined now to press against Hezbollah and other groups, as you're reporting this morning. But he believes that he can press and he can win. In doing so, not only does he actually secure his own position, but he believes he's securing the future safety of Israel.

How significant would you say is the strike by Israel on Yemen?

Well, again, Iran is the sponsor of the Houthis. Iran is the sponsor of Hezbollah and Hamas. And although the Israelis are being guarded about not striking targets in Iran itself, although in conversations I've had with them, they threatened to do that in the past, they are keeping the pressure on Iran by attacking its proxies, including in Yemen, the Houthis.

Okay. One wonders why Iran is still sitting on its hands. I was reading a piece this morning that said, as far as Iran is concerned, they feel that the Houthis and Hezbollah go to war, they're armed to go to war to protect Iran, not for Iran to go to war to protect them. Is that your understanding?

Well, yes. You're quite right. We all know that Iran is the sponsor of these terrorist groups. But Iran itself, in its own regime, is not as stable as it has been. It's not as stable as it would like to be. I think Iran remains very cautious of itself getting in a wider war, essentially with the United States. It's happy to press the issue through its proxies, but it doesn't want to get itself too drawn into this and therefore is standing back to an extent. If there's any grounds for hope here at all to avoid a much wider war, and frankly, it's wide enough already in the Middle East, then it's Iran's hesitation, which is pulling back from our wider confrontation, not just with Israel, but with the United States as well.

Could a A ground invasion in Lebanon change that?

Interesting question. I think a grand invasion is still threatened. In fact, it's increasingly threatened. Whether the Israelis will do that will be their judgment as to whether they feel they need to do that, whether they're making enough success in Lebanon, in Southern Lebanon, with the very successful airstrikes that they've been conducting with some massive weapons. That's a judgment call which I don't think they've decided on, but they're certainly threatening it, and it's pretty much on the cards.

Okay. What do you think the US is saying to Biniman Netanyahu at the moment, behind the scenes?

Well, the United States is still calling for restraint. I think it probably has to call for restraint. But On the other hand, it is still supplying weapons. It is still supplying a lot of the stuff that Israel needs. I mean, there is very little doubt that the massive bombs that killed Nasrallah over the weekend, a 2,000-pound bombs, were supplied by the United States as part of the weapon packages that they have been providing over many, many years. So on the one hand, United States are calling for restraint, but on the other hand, they're not effectively stopping Netanyahu, and he believes that he's winning this war.

Okay, and let's not forget about the situation in Gaza. We've talked about that many times in the past. The spotlight not on that at the moment, but the seventh of October, just around the corner.

No, indeed. And Of course, it's the anniversary of the seventh of October, which will bring back very much into the forefront of people in Israel's mind, the outrage that occurred there, the hostages that are still being held in Gaza. Yes, the world's focus has moved on to Lebanon and Hezbollah, but the Israelis are still pressing their attacks in Gaza, and they believe right across the region, if you like, that they are succeeding and that their military pressure is beginning to achieve the aims that they set out. Given that Hamas and Hezbollah and Lahouti's sworn objective is the eradication of the Israeli state, you can't really criticize the Israelis too much for at least their objective, even if we actually think they're being too heavy-handed as far as some of their tactics are concerned.

Okay, my lord, I must let you go. I know. Thank you very much indeed. Thank you.

Thanks, Kay.