‘Everybody is at risk right now', if Iran retaliates: Journalist
(NewsNation) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been warning about a nuclear Iran for more than 15 years, but who the target of those weapons could be coming more into focus, an award-winning documentary filmmaker and journalist told NewsNation.
Alex Traiman, the CEO of the Jewish News Syndicate, said on Friday that the Obama and Biden administrations flushed Iran with cash, making what is happening now 'a reality.' But should Iran choose to retaliate after being attacked by Israel, the United States and other Americans abroad could be in danger.
'I think everybody is at risk right now,' Traiman told NewsNation, referring to the retaliatory practices that Iran could employ after being attacked by Israel.
Why did Israel attack Iran's nuclear and military sites?
Traiman said that Iran's most lethal weapons are its ballistic missiles, which Israel has been focusing its attacks on manufacturing facilities for those weapons, along with known launch points. Military assessments suggest that Iran had as many as 2,000 and 3,000 ballistic missiles before Friday's attacks.
Iran announced on Friday that it had pulled out of Sunday's scheduled sixth round of nuclear talks with the United States, signaling that it was no longer willing to negotiate. President Donald Trump has urged Iraq to make a deal, but Traiman told NewsNation that he does not believe the negotiations will be successful.
He said that Netanyahu has pledged to Iran that if it allows its nuclear manufacturing plants to be taken out without major retaliation, Israel would limit its attacks to nuclear facilities, Traiman said. However, if Iran chooses to fight back, Israel could expand its attacks to human infrastructure, including power plants and oil refineries.
Trump indicated on Friday that Iran still may have the opportunity to reach a deal which would involve the U.S. coming in to peacefully dismantle nuclear plants without major escalation. However, if a deal can't be struck, that opens up more uncertainties, the CEO said.
'If there will be an escalation, I think the major question is whether or not the United States would participate in future rounds of this campaign,' Traiman said.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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