Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared on Friday that Iran had been reduced to impotence in record time, losing its uranium enrichment and ballistic missile production capabilities within just twenty days of conflict. He predicted victory was within reach and rejected claims about Israeli manipulation of US policy. Netanyahu’s press conference was aggressive in tone and ambitious in scope, projecting certainty about the conflict’s imminent conclusion.
The prime minister addressed the Trump-Israel relationship with characteristic directness. He called their coordination historically unprecedented and framed Trump as the alliance’s driving force. Netanyahu disclosed that Trump had brought his own independent and analytically deep understanding of Iran’s nuclear threat to their discussions, reflecting a partnership of genuine strategic equals.
Netanyahu confirmed Israel struck the South Pars gas compound alone and acknowledged Trump’s request to pause further attacks on Iranian gas infrastructure. He handled both disclosures transparently, presenting them as natural elements of a close and functioning alliance. Netanyahu was clear throughout that Israel’s military autonomy remained fully intact.
On the Hormuz issue, Netanyahu labeled Iran’s closure threats blackmail and said they would fail. He proposed overland pipeline routes from the Arabian Peninsula to Israeli and Mediterranean ports as a permanent structural solution. Netanyahu argued this would create lasting energy resilience and neutralize the Hormuz chokepoint.
Netanyahu ended with observations about Iran’s leadership chaos. He said Mojtaba had not been seen publicly since the war began and admitted genuine uncertainty about who was governing the country. Netanyahu pointed to the fierce competition for power in Tehran and concluded that this instability, combined with military losses, was accelerating the war’s conclusion.