The Israeli president pointed to the killing of Iranian protesters earlier this, its backing of armed proxies in the region, and a drone attack against a British air base in Cyprus as evidence of the threat posed by Iran.
He continued: “It mind boggles me that [legality] is the focus rather than on the future of the Middle East and doing peace in the Middle East.”
Herzog said the war is “clearly self-defence, which is not only self-defence for us but self-defence for Europe, for Britain, for the entire region – look how they are bombarding all their neighbours”.
Israel also launched a new offensive against Hezbollah after the Iran-allied group fired missiles over the border in response to the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Israel has hit targets in southern Lebanon and southern suburbs of the capital Beirut, where the group has a strong presence, while its troops have pushed further over the border into the country.
Herzog told the BBC that Israel had been “attacked vehemently by missiles” launched by Hezbollah, and that the government in Lebanon “object to it totally” but “don’t have the power” to disarm them.
On Sunday, Lebanon’s health minister said the death toll in the country had risen to 400, while the Israel Defense Forces said two soldiers had been killed in southern Lebanon.