Netanyahu Addresses the World on Iran Strike

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu released a statement soon after Israel began its preemptive strike on Iran, called Operation Rising Lion.

Below are excerpts from his remarks:

“This operation will continue for as many days as it takes to remove this threat.

We targeted Iran’s main enrichment facility in Natanz. We targeted Iran’s leading nuclear scientists working on the Iranian bomb. We also struck at the heart of Iran’s ballistic missile program. Last year, Iran fired 300 ballistic missiles at Israel. Each of these missiles carries a ton of explosives and threatens the lives of hundreds of people. Soon, those missiles could carry a nuclear payload threatening the lives, not of hundreds, but of millions.

Iran is now working on what it calls the new plan to destroy Israel. You see, the old plan failed. Iran and its proxies try to encircle Israel with a ring of fire and to attack us with the horrible attack of October 7. But the people of Israel, the soldiers of Israel, rose like lions to defend our country. We crushed Hamas, we devastated Hezbollah, we hit Iranian proxies in Syria and Yemen, and when Iran directly attacked us twice last year, we struck back inside Iran itself.

Yet in defending ourselves, we also defend others. We defend our Arab neighbors. They, too have suffered from Iran’s campaign of chaos and carnage. Our actions against Iran’s proxy Hezbollah led to the establishment of a new government in Lebanon and the collapse of Assad’s murderous regime in Syria. The peoples of those two countries now have a chance for a different future, a better future. So too, to the brave people of Iran, and I have a message for them, our fight is not with you. Our fight is with the brutal dictatorship that has oppressed you for 46 years.

I believe that the day of your liberation is near, and when that happens, the great friendship between our two ancient peoples will flourish once again.

Remember, Iran calls Israel the small Satan. It calls America the great Satan. And this is why, for decades, it’s led millions in the chance of death to Israel and death to America. Today, Israel is responding to those genocidal calls with action and with a call of our own, long live Israel and Long live America, our action will help make the world a much safer place.

I want to thank President Trump for his leadership in confronting Iran’s nuclear weapon. Its program. He has made clear time and again that Iran cannot have a nuclear enrichment program.