Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a Saturday evening address that Israel and the United States had nearly gained full control of Iranian airspace.
He said the military operations were carried out in coordination with Washington and with the understanding of U.S. President Donald Trump about the scale of the threat posed by Iran to Israel and the wider international community.
“There was a risk that Iran would attack American targets in the region and Israel first, and for this reason, we decided to act first,” Netanyahu said.
He added that Israel had become a regional power, saying the shift required “courage, initiative, and taking risks.” Netanyahu noted that this had been a key objective of his government since Hamas carried out the October 7 massacre.
“As I promised two days after October 7, we are changing the face of the Middle East. But it’s not only the face of the Middle East, its also ourselves. Our initiative and surprising actions are dramatically changing the balance of power between our enemy and us,” he said.
Shortly before the statement was issued, Israel announced a fresh round of strikes on Tehran.
Netanyahu directly targeted members of Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), warning, “You are in the crosshairs.”
He said the military operation with the U.S. will “create the conditions that will allow the Iranian people to take their fate into their own hands,” and urged Iranians to rise up.
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