In an interview with Kan News on Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu disclosed that Israel’s military offensive against Iran nearly didn’t go forward, with the mission being on the verge of cancellation at the last minute.
When asked whether Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, is a potential target, Netanyahu made it clear that no one in Iran is exempt. “I instructed that no one in Iran has immunity. It is inappropriate and unnecessary to add more than that. We need to let the actions speak more than the words.”
Commenting on whether Israel is actively seeking to topple the Iranian regime, Netanyahu emphasized that neutralizing the nuclear threat remains the highest priority. “Our top goal is the removal of the nuclear threat. Second, is the removal of the threat of ballistic missiles. As that happens, it’s clear that the regime will be undermined.” While he noted that regime change is not the objective, he acknowledged it could be a consequence. “That’s the matter of the Iranian people,” he added.
Netanyahu also offered insight into the timing of the military campaign, saying Iran’s network of regional power had already crumbled. “We broke the Iranian axis. Hezbollah collapsed, Assad collapsed. All that Tehran had left was the nuclear and ballistic missile threat. We didn’t leave it for the next generations, because maybe there won’t be any.”
Reflecting on past challenges in securing backing for major operations, Netanyahu noted a shift. “In the past, I couldn’t enlist the security forces and the Mossad, to put it lightly. This time, everyone came.” He also stated that Israel did not wait for a go-ahead from Washington before acting, though he acknowledged the support of the Trump administration: “They help us wonderfully with defense. American pilots are intercepting UAVs.”
Netanyahu sharply criticized the Biden administration’s stance, contrasting it with Trump’s backing. He accused the current U.S. government of attempting to stop Israel from responding to Iran’s allied groups. According to Netanyahu, the Biden team tried to block Israeli actions against “Iranian proxies.”
Pressed about Israel’s broader war strategy and specific targets, Netanyahu declined to reveal operational details. “We’re at war, we won’t give schedules. We will achieve all the goals, we will hit all the nuclear facilities, we have the ability to do so,” he stated.
He also highlighted that Israel had taken early steps to prepare for domestic defense and commended Israeli citizens for their resilience. Netanyahu praised the public, saying they were “standing strong.”
Responding to concerns about the missile threat and reported shortages of interceptors, Netanyahu downplayed the issue. “It doesn’t matter how many missiles Iran has. We are striking launchers, I think we destroyed half of them.”
{Matzav.com}