Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended and celebrated Israel’s military campaign on Friday, declaring it had been precise, decisive, and completely justified in eliminating Iran’s uranium enrichment and ballistic missile production capabilities over the course of twenty days. He rejected claims about Israeli manipulation of US foreign policy and expressed confidence the conflict was nearing its formal conclusion. Netanyahu was proud and legally precise throughout the briefing.
The prime minister spoke about the Trump-Israel relationship with characteristic directness and warmth. He described their coordination as historically unprecedented and framed Trump as the dominant partner. Netanyahu revealed that Trump had contributed his own independently formed and analytically sophisticated understanding of Iran’s nuclear threat to their discussions, enriching their shared strategic framework.
Netanyahu confirmed Israel struck the South Pars gas compound alone and disclosed Trump’s personal request to hold off on further attacks on Iranian gas facilities. He presented both facts transparently, treating them as natural features of a close and mature alliance. Netanyahu was firm throughout that Israel’s military decision-making authority remained fully autonomous.
On the Hormuz issue, Netanyahu dismissed Iran’s closure threats as empty blackmail that would not succeed. He proposed pipeline corridors from the Arabian Peninsula to Israeli and Mediterranean ports as a permanent structural solution. Netanyahu argued this would create lasting energy resilience and permanently neutralize one of Iran’s most feared geopolitical weapons.
Netanyahu concluded with analysis of Iran’s internal breakdown. He noted Mojtaba had not been seen publicly and admitted genuine uncertainty about who was governing the country. Netanyahu pointed to fierce competition for power in Tehran and concluded that this political chaos, combined with military losses, was driving the war toward an accelerated conclusion.