Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday that Israel and the United States are “winning” the war against Iran, claiming the Islamic Republic has been “decimated” and no longer has the capacity to enrich uranium or manufacture ballistic missiles.
Speaking at an English-language press conference, Netanyahu insisted Israel had “acted alone” in striking Iran’s South Pars gas field. He also confirmed that US President Donald Trump requested Israeli forces to “hold off” on future attacks.
Netanyahu sought to frame the conflict as a coordinated effort without portraying Trump as being led by Israel. “Does anyone really think that someone can tell President Trump what to do? He didn’t need any convincing,” he said.
The Israeli leader emphasized the strategic gains achieved in the nearly three-week conflict. “We are taking action to destroy the industries that make it possible to build missiles. Iran no longer has the capacity to enrich uranium and manufacture ballistic missiles. We are winning and Iran is being decimated,” Netanyahu stated.
He also pointed to internal divisions among Iran’s leadership following the killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the appointment of his son Mojtaba as the new supreme leader. Netanyahu said tensions within the country’s command structure are being exploited to weaken Tehran further.
The strike on South Pars has disrupted global energy markets, and Trump expressed displeasure, saying, “We’re not doing that anymore,” which Netanyahu confirmed had been noted and followed.
Netanyahu described Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz as “blackmail” that “won’t work,” while reaffirming that Israel’s campaign against Iran would continue. “There’s still more work to do, and we’re gonna do it. I also see this war ending a lot faster than people think,” he added.
