Standing before reporters on Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Iran has been effectively dismantled militarily, losing both its ballistic missile production capability and its uranium enrichment capacity within twenty days of conflict. He used sharp language, saying plainly that Israel is winning and Iran is being decimated. Netanyahu also moved to counter a growing narrative that Israel had manipulated Washington into the war, calling those reports entirely false.
Netanyahu spoke at length about his partnership with US President Donald Trump, describing it as uniquely close and mutually voluntary. He bristled at the suggestion that Israel had dragged Trump into the conflict, arguing that Trump was already well-versed in the Iranian nuclear threat before any conversations with Israeli officials. Netanyahu portrayed the two leaders as equals in strategic thinking, united by a common understanding of the danger Iran poses.
The confirmation that Israel struck the massive South Pars gas compound alone was a notable moment in the press conference. Netanyahu acknowledged Trump’s request for Israel to hold off on further attacks on Iranian gas fields, signaling that direct communication between the leaders was shaping battlefield decisions in real time. Despite this, Netanyahu maintained that Israel’s right and ability to act independently remained intact.
Netanyahu turned dismissive when asked about Iran’s warnings to shut the Strait of Hormuz, calling it a blackmail strategy that would fail. He proposed overland pipeline corridors stretching from the Gulf through the Arabian Peninsula to Israeli and Mediterranean coastal ports. This vision, he argued, would render Hormuz-based threats obsolete and create lasting energy security for the region.
Looking at Iran’s internal situation, Netanyahu painted a picture of confusion and disarray within the country’s leadership. He pointed to the absence of any public statement or appearance from Mojtaba, Iran’s anticipated new supreme leader, as evidence of internal power struggles. Netanyahu suggested that this leadership vacuum could hasten the conflict’s conclusion.