Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that Israel will not end its military campaign against Iran and Hamas until all of its strategic objectives are fully achieved, rejecting the notion of a premature ceasefire.
“We will not be dragged into a war of attrition — but we also will not end this historic operation until we have met all our goals,” Netanyahu said at a televised press conference in Jerusalem.
His remarks came hours after releasing two pre-recorded statements in Hebrew and English responding to a U.S. strike on three Iranian nuclear sites — Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan. Netanyahu thanked President Donald Trump and hailed the strike as a “historic” shift. “Your bold decision to target Iran’s nuclear facilities with the awesome and righteous might of the United States will change history,” he said.
Opening the press conference, Netanyahu expressed condolences to those killed and wounded in Iranian missile attacks on Israeli cities. “Our hearts are with the victims of Iran’s heinous assault,” he said, referencing the heavy toll paid in Operation Rising Lion, the name for Israel’s military response. “We embrace the families of the fallen and pray for the full recovery of the wounded.”
Get the Ynetnews app on your smartphone: Google Play: https://bit.ly/4eJ37pE | Apple App Store: https://bit.ly/3ZL7iNv
Netanyahu reaffirmed his government’s commitment to neutralizing Iran’s nuclear and missile capabilities, defeating Hamas and returning Israeli hostages. “This regime seeks our destruction. That is why we launched this operation — to remove the two concrete threats to our existence,” he said. “We are advancing step by step toward achieving our objectives, and we are very close to completing them.”
Asked whether the operation included plans to target Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, Netanyahu declined to elaborate. “This is not the forum to detail our goals. I believe in fewer words and more action,” he said.
Netanyahu praised the damage inflicted on the Fordow facility by U.S. airstrikes. “We must salute our great friend, my close friend President Trump, for the excellent work done by the U.S. Air Force,” he said. “They caused major damage to Fordow. We will ensure that there is no threat from these nuclear sites. We will do what is necessary to meet all of our objectives.”
He also said Israel's offensive in Iran supports its goals in Gaza. “Iran built the axis of evil to place us in a chokehold and bring the war to Israeli territory — and the whole structure is now collapsing and we’re bringing the war to Iran,” he said, referencing the broader regional alliance Tehran has forged with Hamas and other groups. He reiterated Israel’s pledge to return all hostages held by Hamas. “This is not an empty promise. We are committed to this mission and are operating across multiple dimensions and arenas.”
Responding to a question about expanding the Abraham Accords — a set of normalization agreements between Israel and several Arab nations — Netanyahu said the current military momentum could open new diplomatic opportunities. “We believe in peace through strength,” he said. “That same strength brought about the Abraham Accords, even when Iran was at the height of its power. I believe extraordinary opportunities lie ahead.”
In his Hebrew statement earlier in the day, Netanyahu emphasized that Israel had fulfilled its early pledge to destroy Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. “From the beginning of this operation, I promised that Iran’s nuclear sites would be destroyed, one way or another. That promise has been kept,” he said.