‘Israel is only the appetizer’: Huckabee warns Iran threat looms as Netanyahu eyes Trump talks

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking a meeting with President Donald Trump as Israeli officials warn that recent Iranian missile drills could be used as cover for a surprise attack, raising fresh urgency around Tehran’s nuclear ambitions and military posture ahead of the expected Dec. 29 talks. Those concerns were echoed publicly on Monday by U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, who warned that Iran’s nuclear ambitions and military posture pose a direct threat not only to Israel but also to the United States and Europe. Speaking Monday at the Israel Institute for National Security conference, Huckabee said Trump has maintained a consistent red line on Iran. "All I can do is point out to you what the president has said repeatedly, and he consistently has said Iran is never going to enrich uranium, and they’re not going to have a nuclear weapon," he said. ISRAELI PRESIDENT ISAAC HERZOG THANKS TRUMP FOR 'HISTORIC' IRAN STRIKE "It presents a threat, but not just to Israel, not just to the United States. This presents a real threat to all of Europe," he added. "And if the Europeans don’t understand this, then they’re even dumber than I sometimes think they are." Huckabee suggested in his interview that Iran may not have taken that message seriously until U.S. military action earlier this year. "I don’t know that they ever took him seriously until the night that the B-2 bombers went to Fordow," Huckabee said. "I hope they got the message, but apparently they didn’t get the full message because, as you have mentioned, they appear to be trying to reconstitute and find a new way to dig the hole deeper and secure it more," he said at the conference. Huckabee also framed Iran’s long-standing threats as fundamentally aimed at Washington. "Iran has threatened America for 46 consecutive years, from 1979, when the ayatollahs took power," he said. "They’ve always said, ‘Death to Israel, death to America,’ in the same sentence." "Israel is only the appetizer because you’re closer, and you’re an easier target than the vast geographical expanse that represents the United States," Huckabee continued. "But they’ve never hidden the fact that the real entrée, their ultimate goal, is to destroy the United States." HEGSETH, PENTAGON BRASS PRAISE TRUMP'S 'SPECTACULAR' MILITARY SUCCESS IN IRAN NUCLEAR STRIKES The remarks come amid heightened concern in Israel over recent Iranian military activity. According to Axios, Israeli officials warned the Trump administration over the weekend that an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps missile exercise "could be preparations for a strike on Israel," citing three Israeli and U.S. sources with knowledge of the issue. One Israeli source told Axios that while intelligence currently shows force movements inside Iran, Israel’s tolerance for risk is far lower than it was before Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack. A senior Israeli official told Fox News Digital on background that concern over the Iranian drills is rooted in history rather than speculation. "Iran is doing drills. A concern that the drill will become a surprise attack is a real concern based on history. The Yom Kippur War started that way. I remind you, we shouldn’t ignore it," the official said. The source dismissed speculation that the drills signal imminent coordinated military action with Washington. "If we were planning an attack with the U.S., it probably wouldn’t make it into the media," the official said. UN NUCLEAR CHIEF SAYS IRAN HAS MATERIAL TO BUILD BOMBS, BUT NO PLAN TO DO SO The official acknowledged that the Iranian activity has also shifted Israel’s domestic political conversation , including debate over draft evasion legislation. "The headlines in Israel are now about the Iranian threat instead of the bill," the official said. "Is it spin? Is there something special? Is there truth? Maybe. But we always need to be prepared." NBC News reported on Saturday that Netanyahu plans to use his meeting with Trump to argue that Iran’s renewed expansion of its ballistic missile program poses a growing threat that could require swift action. According to the report, Netanyahu is expected to emphasize that Iran’s activities endanger not only Israel but also broader regional stability and U.S. interests. NBC reported that Netanyahu is expected to present Trump with several options, including potential U.S. involvement or support, should Israel determine that additional military action against Iran is necessary. Asked Thursday about a possible Dec. 29 meeting with Netanyahu , Trump told reporters, "We haven’t set it up formally, but he’d like to see me." Israeli officials have announced that a meeting is planned for Dec. 29. Fox News Digital reached out to Netanyahu's spokesperson but did not get a response.