Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a firm warning on Friday alongside his military declarations, stating that Iran could not attempt to rebuild the uranium enrichment and ballistic missile capabilities that Israel had destroyed in twenty days of conflict without Israel knowing about it and acting accordingly. He rejected claims about Israeli manipulation of US foreign policy and expressed confidence the war was heading toward a rapid conclusion. Netanyahu was determined and forward-looking throughout the briefing.
The prime minister addressed his relationship with Trump 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 strategy.
Netanyahu confirmed Israel struck the South Pars gas compound alone and disclosed Trump’s personal request to hold off on further strikes on Iranian gas infrastructure. He presented both facts transparently, treating them as natural features of a close and communicative alliance. Netanyahu maintained throughout that Israel’s operational independence remained fully intact.
On the Hormuz question, Netanyahu dismissed Iran’s closure threats as blackmail that would fail. He proposed pipeline routes from the Arabian Peninsula to Israeli and Mediterranean ports as a permanent structural solution. Netanyahu argued this would permanently neutralize the Hormuz chokepoint and create lasting energy resilience for the region.
Netanyahu concluded with analysis of Iran’s internal dysfunction. He noted Mojtaba had not been seen publicly and admitted genuine uncertainty about who was governing the country. Netanyahu pointed to fierce competition among Tehran’s ruling factions and concluded that this political instability, combined with military losses, was driving the conflict toward a faster-than-expected conclusion.