Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared on Friday that Iran had been defeated strategically after twenty days of conflict had eliminated its uranium enrichment and ballistic missile capabilities. He began looking beyond the war itself, sketching the outlines of a post-conflict regional order he hoped to help build. Netanyahu rejected claims about Israeli manipulation of US foreign policy and expressed confidence that the formal end of fighting was approaching rapidly.
The prime minister described the Trump-Israel partnership in strong terms, calling it historically unmatched in its closeness. He rejected the idea that Israel had maneuvered Trump into the conflict, arguing that Trump was a deeply independent leader who had arrived at his own well-formed conclusions about Iran’s nuclear threat. Netanyahu said Trump had even contributed analytical insights that deepened his own understanding of the danger.
Netanyahu confirmed Israel struck the South Pars gas compound alone and acknowledged Trump’s personal request to pause further strikes on Iranian gas infrastructure. He treated both facts transparently, framing them as natural elements of an extraordinary alliance. Netanyahu was firm that Israel’s military decision-making authority had not been compromised.
On the Hormuz issue, Netanyahu called Iran’s closure threats blackmail and dismissed them. He proposed pipeline corridors from the Arabian Peninsula to Israeli and Mediterranean ports as a structural solution to maritime dependency. Netanyahu framed this infrastructure as a key element of the post-conflict regional transformation he intended to pursue.
Netanyahu closed with observations about Iran’s internal disarray. He noted Mojtaba had not appeared publicly and admitted he was unsure who was governing the country. Netanyahu pointed to fierce competition for power in Tehran and concluded that this instability, combined with military losses, was pushing the war toward a faster-than-expected conclusion.