Netanyahu Defends Strike on Iran After Trump Criticism

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a press conference Thursday night defending his country's independent strike on Iranian gas facilities after President Trump publicly criticized the operation. Netanyahu claimed Iran has lost its ability to enrich uranium or produce ballistic missiles after 20 days of conflict.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a press conference Thursday evening, defending his nation’s military actions against Iran while addressing tensions with President Trump over recent strikes.

Speaking to both Israeli citizens and international media, Netanyahu claimed that after 20 days of warfare with Iran, the country has been stripped of its nuclear enrichment and ballistic missile production capabilities. He declared that Israel and the United States are achieving victory together, emphasizing what he called extraordinary cooperation with the Trump administration.

The press conference came after President Trump publicly criticized Israel’s Wednesday attack on Iran’s South Pars gas infrastructure. Trump stated he was not informed beforehand about the operation and suggested Israel would halt similar strikes following Iran’s retaliatory attack on Qatar’s Ras Laffan gas facilities. Former U.S. Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro noted on social media that such a large-scale operation would typically require American coordination or approval.

Netanyahu directly confronted these concerns, confirming that Israel conducted the operation independently and that Trump subsequently asked for no repeat actions. He called suggestions that Israel had pulled Washington into the conflict “ridiculous,” stating that nobody dictates to President Trump and that both leaders share the same perspective on Iran.

The Israeli leader described the U.S.-Israel partnership as reaching historic heights, calling Israel an exemplary ally and highlighting extensive military and intelligence cooperation between the nations.

During his dual-language presentation, Netanyahu commended Israeli citizens for following civil defense protocols, saying their steadfastness enables government and military forces to pursue their strategic objectives.

Netanyahu outlined three primary war aims: destroying Iran’s nuclear capabilities, dismantling its missile programs, and establishing circumstances that would enable Iranian citizens to determine their own future. He noted that Israel now targets not just weapons but also the industrial infrastructure supporting these programs.

“And already now, after 20 days, I can tell you that Iran does not have the opportunity to enrich uranium and it does not have the opportunity to create ballistic missiles,” Netanyahu stated.

He detailed the elimination of top-level Iranian political and military command structures, missile and defense systems, and the deaths of prominent Iranian officials including Intelligence Minister Ali Larijani and the Basij commander. Netanyahu reported destroying hundreds of missiles and launchers while conducting coordinated strikes with U.S. forces across air, ground, underground, and maritime targets.

Netanyahu accused Iran of attacking civilians, Americans, and U.S.-connected facilities throughout Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, and Oman, as well as using proxies in Cyprus and Europe. He charged Tehran with attempting global blackmail by threatening the Straits of Hormuz. “So today, Israel and the United States are protecting America, Israel, the entire Middle East, but I venture to say the entire world,” he declared.

The Prime Minister argued the campaign has enhanced Israel’s strategic position, describing his country as more powerful than ever while Iran grows increasingly weak. He pointed to expanded security perimeters in Gaza, Syria extending to Mount Hermon, and Lebanon, claiming threats from Hezbollah and Iran have been substantially diminished.

However, Netanyahu recognized that Iran continues launching attacks that have resulted in Israeli casualties. He offered sympathy to grieving families while asserting the actual damage was far less than Iran intended.

Regarding potential Iranian regime change, Netanyahu said Israel can help establish the right conditions but emphasized that “in the end, it will be dependent solely on them,” referring to Iran’s population. He mentioned signs of internal pressure, including leadership conflicts and some defections, but cautioned it’s premature to predict regime collapse. Even if the current government survives, he argued, it will emerge considerably weakened.

During the question period, Netanyahu repeated that Israel is making significant headway in weakening Iran’s nuclear and missile programs while refusing to provide a specific timeline. He again dismissed accusations that Israel forced U.S. involvement and emphasized that Trump operates independently despite close collaboration.

He confirmed Israel acted unilaterally in attacking Iranian gas infrastructure and subsequently honored Trump’s request to avoid similar future operations. Netanyahu also highlighted internal fractures within Iran’s government, noted Hezbollah’s severe degradation, and rejected worries that eliminating Iranian leaders strengthens extremists, maintaining that any political change must come from the Iranian people themselves.