{"id":598916,"date":"2026-04-11T00:03:13","date_gmt":"2026-04-11T00:03:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/598916\/"},"modified":"2026-04-11T00:03:13","modified_gmt":"2026-04-11T00:03:13","slug":"israels-ambassador-concedes-irans-chokehold-on-strait-of-hormuz-was-not-expected-before-war","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/598916\/","title":{"rendered":"Israel’s ambassador concedes Iran’s chokehold on Strait of Hormuz was not expected before war"},"content":{"rendered":"

Israel’s ambassador to Australia concedes his country did not expect Iran to close the Strait of Hormuz when it decided to go to war.<\/p>\n

Hillel Newman said Israel planned for all scenarios but did not assume Iran would choke off global energy supplies.<\/p>\n

Iran war live updates<\/a>: For the latest news on the Middle East crisis, read our blog<\/p>\n

The closure of the strait has caused a surge in global oil prices, putting pressure on US President Donald Trump, who announced a ceasefire earlier in the week.<\/p>\n

Speaking on the ABC’s Insiders: On Background Podcast, the ambassador admitted Israel was surprised by the scope of Iran’s response, not the fact that it responded.<\/p>\n

“We would assume that Iran would not affect the global community and the supply chains of energy for the entire world because of their predicament,” Dr Newman said.<\/p>\n

“That is the problem of a rogue state.”\"A<\/p>\n

Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz has caused significant disruptions to global fuel supply chains.\u00a0 (ABC News: Matthew Roberts)<\/p>\n

Dr Newman said Israel tried to take all scenarios into consideration, including worst-case scenarios such as the potential for Iran to already have nuclear warfare.<\/p>\n

But he admitted Iran’s closure of the vital waterway was “not part of our planning”.<\/p>\n

“You hope and pray that an entity like Iran, even a rogue entity like Iran, will not do what is worst for them and for the international community,” he said.<\/p>\n

Israel also did not expect Iran to carry out retaliation attacks on certain Gulf countries.<\/p>\n

“Not against their friends. They even launched rockets against their friends like Oman and Qatar \u2014 countries that don’t have any diplomatic relations with Israel,” Dr Newman said.<\/p>\n

Enriched uranium ‘needs to be addressed’<\/p>\n

A key objective for the United States and Israel at the start of the war was preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.<\/p>\n

Mr Trump said he agreed to a ceasefire because the US had already achieved its military objective.<\/p>\n

But Iran is thought to still have 440 kilograms of highly enriched uranium stockpiled underground.<\/p>\n

Dr Newman acknowledged there was enriched uranium that “needs to be addressed” but said that did not have to be through military operation.<\/p>\n

“It’s a ceasefire in order to give a chance for peaceful talks and attain the objectives,” he said.<\/p>\n

“If we don’t attain the objectives through peaceful talks, sadly we may have to go back to a military campaign.”\"A<\/p>\n

Donald Trump has agreed to suspend US attacks on Iran for two weeks.\u00a0 (Reuters: Evelyn Hockstein)<\/p>\n

Ambassador says Israel seeks peace in the region<\/p>\n

The day after the ceasefire was announced, Israel launched a wave of strikes in Lebanon against Hezbollah \u2014 that officials in Lebanon say killed more than 300 people.<\/p>\n

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the White House said Lebanon was not part of the ceasefire, but that was contradicted by Pakistan, which brokered the deal, and Iran.<\/p>\n

Mr Trump said Mr Netanyahu had since agreed during a phone call to “low-key it” in Lebanon.<\/p>\n

Dr Newman said Israel’s decision to “lower the profile” was not just a matter of being asked by the US president.<\/p>\n

“Israel itself wants to solve these issues in direct talks,” he said.<\/p>\n

“We have offered our hand in peace with Lebanon many times. The problem is the radicals.<\/p>\n

“If we manage to disarm Hezbollah, we are opening an option, a real option, of peace between Israel and Lebanon.”\"Benjamin<\/p>\n

Benjamin Netanyahu has faced criticism from some Israeli politicians over the war.\u00a0 (Reuters: Ronen Zvulun)<\/p>\n

Israeli politicians, on both the left and right of Mr Netanyahu, have been highly critical of how the Iran war has played out.<\/p>\n

Dr Newman acknowledged the Israeli government had suffered when it came to public opinion, but he said sometimes condemnations had to be endured “in order to protect your people”.<\/p>\n

“Israel will come out stronger because the moderates will be strengthened,” he said.<\/p>\n

“Iran, which is the leader of the pack of the extremists, will be weakened. That will open options for peace in the entire Middle East.”<\/p>\n

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