Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a firm warning on Friday alongside his military assessment, declaring that Israel would not allow Iran to rebuild the uranium enrichment and ballistic missile capabilities that had been destroyed in twenty days of conflict. He combined this warning with optimism that the war was nearing its end and rejected claims about Israeli manipulation of US foreign policy. Netanyahu was determined and forward-looking throughout the briefing.
The prime minister addressed the Trump-Israel relationship with characteristic directness and warmth. He called their coordination historically unprecedented and framed Trump as the alliance’s dominant force. Netanyahu revealed that Trump had contributed his own independently formed and analytically sophisticated understanding of Iran’s nuclear threat to their discussions, enriching their shared strategic framework.
Netanyahu confirmed Israel struck the South Pars gas compound alone and disclosed Trump’s personal request to pause further attacks on Iranian gas infrastructure. He handled both facts transparently, treating them as natural elements of a close and communicative alliance. Netanyahu maintained throughout that Israel’s military autonomy remained fully intact.
On the Hormuz question, Netanyahu dismissed Iran’s closure threats as blackmail that would not work. He proposed pipeline corridors from the Arabian Peninsula to Israeli and Mediterranean ports as a permanent structural solution. Netanyahu argued this would permanently neutralize the Hormuz chokepoint and create durable energy security for the region.
Netanyahu concluded with analysis of Iran’s leadership vacuum. He noted Mojtaba had not been seen publicly and admitted genuine uncertainty about who was governing the country. Netanyahu pointed to fierce competition among Tehran’s ruling factions and concluded that this instability, combined with military losses, was pushing the conflict toward a faster-than-expected end.