Netanyahu says Iran remains a threat but was diminished in war
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that Tehran remains a threat to Israel but was weakened by the punishing 12-day war in June.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that Tehran remains a threat to Israel but was weakened by the punishing 12-day war in June.
“We crushed Iran’s axis of evil. We distanced and neutralized the dual threat from Iran—the nuclear threat and the ballistic threat alike," Netanyahu told the Knesset amid growing criticism from opposition lawmakers.
“This is a real threat, but not what it once was. We act with determination, initiative, and strategy," he added.
Israel launched a surprise military campaign against Iran in June, striking nuclear and military sites. Tehran responded with hundreds of drones and ballistic missiles.
Following Israel's strikes, the United States targeted major nuclear sites in Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan on June 22. President Trump called the attack successful, resulting in the “obliteration” of Iran's nuclear facilities.
The 12-day war concluded with a US brokered ceasefire on June 24, halting the military attacks on two sides. Yet in the months since, officials in both Iran and Israel have openly hinted at the prospect of another confrontation.
Israel will respond “much more aggressively” in the next confrontation with Iran and is preparing for fighting that could last more than 12 days, Israel’s Channel 13 reported on Monday, citing a security official.
Israel should move to topple the Islamic Republic before the end of US President Donald Trump’s term, the Jewish State's public broadcaster Kan News reported citing a senior Israeli official.
Israel was preparing a final wave of attacks aimed at toppling Iran’s ruling system when Trump announced a ceasefire, The Washington Post reported in July, citing Israeli and American officials involved in the operation.
“When Trump declared a ceasefire, Israel was moving into a final phase of attacks intended to topple the regime,” said David Ignatius in an opinion piece published by The Washington Post on Friday evening.
The final phase, which Israeli planners believed could bring down the Islamic Republic according to the report, was halted when Trump enforced a ceasefire.
