Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke on Monday about Iran’s possession of nuclear weapons, linking it to recent Israeli strikes following an unprecedented barrage of rockets launched by Tehran last month.
In his address to the Knesset, Netanyahu claimed that “Iran launched 300 ballistic missiles,” adding, “With the help of Washington and other countries, we managed to intercept many drones and missiles and destroyed a significant number of missile launch platforms surrounding Tehran.”
Strikes on Iran
Netanyahu elaborated on Israel’s response, stating, “We decided to launch an offensive on Iran using missiles and aircraft, destroying the three remaining missile platforms around Tehran.” He emphasized that “Tehran possesses nuclear weapons, posing a major threat to the Middle East.”
He further revealed, “It’s no secret that a critical component of Iran’s nuclear program was targeted in our latest strike.” Netanyahu mentioned discussions with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on strategies to address the Iranian threat.
The Issue of Captives in Gaza
Regarding Israeli captives in Gaza, Netanyahu said, “I am confident that we will soon secure the release of some of the abductees.” He reiterated that his government has focused, since the first day of the war, on dismantling the “unity of fronts” formed after October 7.
Netanyahu outlined three primary objectives:
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- Eliminating Hamas’ capabilities.
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- Securing the release of abductees.
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- Preventing a recurrence of events like those on October 7.
He noted that the U.S. administration opposed some of his measures, stating, “Even President Biden told me directly, ‘You are on your own,'” and revealed that the U.S. administration threatened to halt arms supplies.
Northern Front and Hezbollah
Netanyahu also addressed the northern front, stating, “We decided to move north and bring our citizens back to their homes. We have destroyed a large portion of Hamas’ capabilities—though the job may not be fully complete, significant progress has been made.”
He disclosed that “three options were presented to us regarding Hezbollah, but I had a fourth option: to destroy Hezbollah’s missile capabilities.” According to Netanyahu, Israel destroyed 70–80% of Hezbollah’s missile arsenal, though the group still retains missile capabilities.
On the Assassination of Hassan Nasrallah
Commenting on the assassination of Hassan Nasrallah, Netanyahu remarked, “He oversaw plans to destroy Israel. Discussions were held about eliminating him, and an overwhelming majority in the Cabinet supported the move. If Hezbollah had carried out its plans, the consequences would have been far greater than the current situation in Gaza.”
Negotiations Amid Conflict
Netanyahu noted that negotiations are ongoing amid the shelling and bombardment. He stressed that Israel’s demands include:
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- Pushing Hezbollah beyond the Litani River.
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- Preventing the group from rebuilding its missile capabilities.
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- Halting arms supplies to Hezbollah via Syria.
