Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that the overthrow of Iran’s leadership is not the stated goal of the ongoing Israeli campaign against Iran, though he acknowledged that political change in Tehran could eventually occur as a consequence of the conflict.
Speaking at his first press conference since the start of the ongoing operation against Iran, Netanyahu said the military campaign conducted in cooperation with the United States has already produced “huge achievements” that are reshaping the balance of power in the Middle East.
“We are in historic days that will be recorded in the history of Israel,” Netanyahu said. “By combining forces between Israel and the United States, we have achieved huge achievements that are changing the balance of power in the Middle East and strengthening Israel’s position.”
Netanyahu added that regime change in Tehran would ultimately depend on the Iranian people themselves rather than on foreign military action.
"Iran’s Nuclear Capabilities Severely Damaged"
The prime minister said Israeli operations had significantly weakened Iran’s strategic capabilities, including elements of its nuclear program and ballistic missile infrastructure.
“For about 30 years I have warned about the Iranian threat,” Netanyahu said. “The regime worked on three levels to destroy Israel: building an axis of proxies in the region, developing tens of thousands of ballistic missiles, and advancing a nuclear weapons program.”
According to Netanyahu, Israel’s campaign has dealt severe blows to those efforts, including strikes on senior figures involved in Iran’s nuclear development.
“In the war we have severely damaged the axis of terror,” he said. “It still exists, but with far more limited capabilities.”
Appeal to the Iranian Public
Netanyahu also addressed the people of Iran directly, saying Israel’s actions could create conditions for internal political change.
Referring to the death of Iran’s former supreme leader Ali Khamenei, he said the current leadership structure in Tehran has been weakened.
“The moment of your exit to freedom is approaching,” Netanyahu said in a message directed at Iranian citizens. “In the end, it depends on you.”
Close Coordination With Washington
The Israeli leader emphasized close coordination with Donald Trump, saying the two leaders are in frequent contact as the campaign continues.
“President Trump and I speak almost every day,” Netanyahu said. “Our cooperation is stronger than ever.”
Recent reporting indicates that the joint U.S.–Israeli campaign has inflicted heavy damage on Iranian military infrastructure while raising questions internationally about how long the war will continue.
Netanyahu also addressed the northern front, where Israeli forces are continuing operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon.
While acknowledging that Hezbollah continues to fire rockets toward Israel, he said the group has suffered significant losses since the beginning of the conflict.
“They have residual capabilities left,” Netanyahu said, warning that Israel would respond forcefully if the Lebanese government does not act to restrain the group.
War Continues as Strategic Landscape Shifts
Netanyahu concluded by saying the ongoing campaign is transforming the strategic environment across the Middle East.
“This is not the same Iran, not the same Middle East, and not the same Israel,” he said. “We are not waiting for threats — we are taking the initiative and acting against them.”
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