Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel and the United States have achieved near-total dominance over Iranian airspace following a series of coordinated military strikes. He added that conflict is also a result of the October 7, 2023 attack.In a video message shared on X in Hebrew, Netanyahu described the joint operations as a major strategic success. “We achieved almost complete control over the skies of Tehran,” he said.
The Israeli leader said the campaign was conducted in close coordination with Washington and with the full understanding of US President Donald Trump about what he described as the threat posed by Iran. “I would like to thank my friend President Trump for the leadership he is showing,” Netanyahu said.He explained that the joint effort, known as “Operation Rising Lion,” was aimed at removing what he called an immediate threat to Israel. “In Operation Rising Lion, we combined forces to remove immediate danger from Israel,” he said.Netanyahu warned that Israel was confronting what he described as a serious and urgent threat from Iran. “We are facing an extremely evil regime that is plotting to destroy us with atomic bombs and tens of thousands of missiles,” he stated.According to Netanyahu, Iran’s leadership had attempted to secure its military capabilities by placing them in fortified underground facilities. “Khamenei ordered the capabilities to be restored and buried underground so that they would be immune,” he said. “If that had happened, he would have used it to destroy the State of Israel and threaten the entire world.”He said the timing of the intervention was intended to prevent those plans and stop a potential attack on US and Israeli interests. “From this foresight, we, the United States and Israel, took action together to thwart these threats and allow the Iranian people to take their fate into their own hands.”“There was a danger that Iran would attack American targets in the region and Israel first,” Netanyahu added. “And for all these reasons, we acted at the appointed time.”Highlighting the results of the first week of the campaign, the prime minister said, “In the first week, we eliminated the dictator Khamenei, we destroyed hundreds of ballistic missile launchers,” adding that the action significantly “reduces the threat to the State of Israel.”Netanyahu said the offensive was also part of Israel’s broader strategy following the October 7 attacks. “We have turned Israel into a regional power. All of this requires courage, initiative and taking risks,” he said.“As I promised you two days after October 7, we are changing the face of the Middle East,” Netanyahu explained. “But we didn’t just change the Middle East. First and foremost, we changed ourselves. Because after the great disaster of October 7, I decided to lead a polar shift, powerful actions one after another, proactive and surprising actions, actions that dramatically change the balance of power between us and our enemies.”Turning to the situation in Lebanon, Netanyahu warned the government there to implement the ceasefire agreement and disarm Hezbollah. “I repeat to the Lebanese government, your responsibility is to enforce the ceasefire agreement and disarm Hezbollah,” he said.He cautioned that failure to act could have serious consequences. “Take your fate into your own hands,” Netanyahu said, warning of “disastrous consequences for Lebanon” if Hezbollah is not disarmed.Addressing members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Netanyahu issued a direct warning. “To the Revolutionary Guards operatives, you too are in our crosshairs,” he said. “Whoever lays down his weapon, no harm will come to him. He who does not will pay the price.”He also suggested that Israel had prepared additional measures aimed at weakening Iran’s government.Speaking directly to Iranian citizens, Netanyahu described the conflict as a mission to free them from their current leadership. “To the Iranian people – we seek to liberate Iran,” he said. “But at the end of the day, liberation from the yoke of tyranny will depend on you, the Iranian people.”He expressed hope for a future improvement in relations between the two countries. “I believe that if you stand up at the moment of truth, the day will not be far off when Israel and Iran return to being brave friends,” he said.Netanyahu argued that Iran’s leadership poses a threat beyond Israel. “Today, everyone understands that the regime of the ayatollahs endangers the entire world,” he said, claiming that Iran had attacked several countries in the region.He also criticised the United Nations for what he described as double standards in its handling of regional conflicts. “The countries around us see the hypocrisy of the UN,” Netanyahu said, stating that it condemned Israel “without reason in our just war against Iran’s murderous proxies in Gaza,” while doing nothing “in the face of the mass slaughter in Iran.”Netanyahu concluded by saying many countries now view Israel as a reliable partner and predicted broader regional cooperation in the future. “Many countries today see exactly who can be trusted,” he said. “Thanks to this initiative, we will bring a dramatic expansion of the circle of peace around us.”“Together we will continue to stand firm,” Netanyahu added. “Together we will roar like a lion, and with God’s help, together we will ensure the eternity of Israel.”
