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EXCLUSIVE: A senior lawmaker in the U.S. House of Representatives said the current conflict with Israel and Iran could be a singular opportunity for Iranians to overthrow their authoritarian Islamic government.
"Now that their top leadership has been taken out, if there's ever a time for the people to rise up against this theocracy, I would think the conditions are set," Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, told Fox News Digital on Friday.
McCaul was part of a group of lawmakers in the Middle East late last month. Part of that trip was in Israel, where the congressional delegation met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and others.
"I think this is the perfect opportunity – it would have been better if, I don't know what level of coordination took place, but I mean, when an event like this happens – to have this theocracy that's in power, out of power, and liberate the people of Iran," McCaul said. "The majority do not like the Ayatollah. There's a real opportunity for that to just end."
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Israel unleashed a barrage of airstrikes in and around Tehran beginning Thursday night Eastern Time. The Israeli government said the strikes were pre-emptive, and that Tehran was approaching nuclear weapon capabilities.
"They were very close to a nuclear bomb," McCaul said.
Israel said it hit Iranian nuclear sites, and that its strikes killed multiple senior Iranian military commanders and nuclear scientists. Iran responded by launching missiles toward Israeli territory on Friday afternoon.
McCaul said it was a "major setback" for Iran but that he was sure that officials in Tehran would respond.
"When we were in the region, they felt certain that Iran would strike our military sites in Saudi, Jordan and the UAE," he said.
"The big talk also at that time was, give CENTCOM time to get prepared in the region to get all of its strategic assets in place for a response. And my understanding is … all of our bases and military sites and embassies are on high alert."
The Texas Republican also recalled what he now believes were telling signs that some kind of military operation was imminent.
While in Israel last month, McCaul said he asked Netanyahu about reports that Iran was preparing a nuclear strike.
"And he said, ‘If you don’t fight, you die,' He said that several times in the context of striking Iran," McCaul said. "He said that, ‘I will strike Iran with or without you.'"
"I said, ‘Well, sir, we need you to coordinate with us. Whether or not the president decides to do this with you, you need to coordinate with the United States, our allies and partners in the region.’"
Indeed, President Donald Trump told Fox News Channel's chief political anchor Bret Baier on Thursday he had prior knowledge that Israel was going to conduct pre-emptive strikes on Iran.
"Iran cannot have a nuclear bomb, and we are hoping to get back to the negotiating table. We will see. There are several people in leadership in Iran that will not be coming back," Trump said.
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Trump said the strike happened on Day 61 after Iran had a 60-day window to make a deal with the U.S. to contain its nuclear enrichment. He also said he hoped Iran would come back to the negotiating table after the attack.
But McCaul was not optimistic Tehran would agree to sufficient standards.
"I just, I have little faith in the negotiations, to be honest with you," he said.
It's not clear as of now whether those talks will resume.
But if they were to fall through again, McCaul said, Iranians would have incentive to push for a new government "once and for all."
Meanwhile, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has promised a "legitimate and powerful response" to Israel's strikes.
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