Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that Israel, in cooperation with the United States, has delivered the “heaviest blow” to Iran’s leadership, claiming the country’s adversary is now weaker than ever.
Netanyahu made the remarks during a state ceremony held at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial in Jerusalem, as Israel began its annual Holocaust Remembrance Day, which honours the six million Jews killed during the Nazi genocide.
“We delivered the heaviest blow in that regime’s history. It stands weaker than ever before,” Netanyahu said in remarks broadcast on Monday.
Israel has been engaged in a multi-front conflict since October 7, 2023, when the Iran-backed Palestinian group Hamas launched an attack on Israel, triggering a prolonged war in Gaza and widening regional tensions involving Iran-aligned groups.
“For two-and-a-half years, we have been systematically crushing the Iranian axis of evil,” Netanyahu said, referring to operations in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and the occupied West Bank.
He added that, without Israel’s military actions, Iranian nuclear facilities such as Natanz, Fordow, Isfahan, and Parchin “might have become synonymous with horror,” comparing them to Nazi-era extermination camps including Auschwitz and Treblinka.
Israel’s Holocaust Remembrance Day, known as Yom HaShoah, is observed annually between April and May according to the Hebrew calendar and is distinct from the international observance held on January 27.
This year’s commemoration comes amid heightened regional tensions following a recent ceasefire involving Iran after a broader conflict that began on February 28 with joint Israeli and United States strikes on Iranian targets.
Despite the ceasefire, Israel continues military engagements with Hezbollah fighters in southern Lebanon, reflecting ongoing instability across multiple fronts in the region.
Netanyahu’s remarks underscore the intersection of historical remembrance and present-day security concerns as Israel continues to navigate complex regional conflicts.
