An Israeli security expert has warned that the ongoing military escalation in the Strait of Hormuz is driving Iran to accelerate its nuclear weapons program.
Beni Sabti, an Iran researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), stated that the regime views the conflict as an existential threat, prompting a faster pace toward nuclear capability to ensure its survival.
Sabti argued that the current trajectory of the conflict requires the United States to increase the tempo of military strikes and target additional senior Iranian officials to force a resolution.
He suggested that without more decisive military pressure, the Iranian leadership will continue to leverage the crisis to justify internal consolidation and external aggression.
The assessment comes as tensions in the Persian Gulf remain at a critical level.
Iran has recently intensified its control over the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global energy chokepoint, while launching fresh barrages of missiles and drones against US military facilities in neighboring Gulf states.