Netanyahu spoke of Iran’s allies in the region as an ‘existential threat to Israel [Yair Lapid / X]
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday that the war campaign against Iran “is not over yet”, while reiterating previous claims about Israel’s “historic achievements” across the region.
In a video statement, Netanyahu, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes in Gaza, alleged that he had received intelligence indicating that Iran was “very close” to developing nuclear weapons, claiming that it would already possess nuclear arms if the United States and Israel had not launched their joint attacks on 28 February.
Reviewing the five-week war, Netanyahu said Israel had “eliminated eight nuclear scientists” allegedly linked to Iran’s weaponisation efforts, destroyed the heavy-water reactor at Arak, and struck centrifuge production and uranium enrichment facilities across the country.
He echoed US President Donald Trump’s remarks that the Iranian regime was at its “weakest point” since its founding, and cited the assassinations of senior Iranian figures — including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on the war’s first day — as evidence of strategic success.
Standing before a map of the Middle East covered with red markings denoting “Iran and its proxies”, Netanyahu compared them to the “arms of an octopus” posing an existential threat to Israel.
“They wanted to strangle us, and we are strangling them”, he declared, adding that Israel had established “security zones deep within enemy territory”.
He also pointed to Gaza, shaded red on his map, saying Israel was “gripping Hamas from every side”. As in many of Netanyahu’s previous illustrations, the map’s depiction of Israel covered all occupied Palestinian territories.
Turning to Syria, Netanyahu said Israeli forces had reached the “peak of Mount Hermon” and were “watching over” the Druze community there.
The Prime Minister’s remarks drew sharp criticism at home.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid accused Netanyahu of using wartime rhetoric to mask his shortcomings.
“Netanyahu is once again boasting about the army’s successes, so we’ll forget his utter failure”, Lapid wrote on X. “He hasn’t achieved a single one of the war aims he defined himself. Military achievement has turned into a diplomatic disaster for which he bears responsibility”.
Yair Golan, leader of the Democrats, also criticised Netanyahu’s tone. “Netanyahu is under pressure because he knows the war’s objectives have not been achieved”, he said.
Netanyahu claims ‘approval’ for Lebanon talks
The Israeli leader also addressed the situation in Lebanon, where Israeli strikes last Wednesday killed more than 300 people and injured at least 1,150 others.
Netanyahu claimed the strikes destroyed Hezbollah’s rocket and missile stockpiles within hours, and that “hundreds of Radwan force fighters” had been planning to cross the border into northern Israel — an assertion he did not substantiate.
He said the Israeli army was now operating a “security zone” extending up to ten kilometres inside southern Lebanon to deter Hezbollah’s attacks.
Amid growing fears that the two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran could collapse due to ongoing Israeli bombardment, Netanyahu claimed that Beirut had approached Israel for direct talks — and that he “approved” them.
Media reports, however, suggest the prime minister agreed only under heavy international pressure, including from Washington.
Netanyahu said any talks with Lebanon would hinge on the disarmament of Hezbollah and prospects for a “long-lasting peace deal”, while claiming unnamed regional governments had also reached out to Israel regarding possible negotiations.
Netanyahu attacks Erdogan
Tensions also flared between Israel and Turkey after Netanyahu took aim at Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a social media post on Saturday evening.
“Israel under my leadership will continue to fight Iran’s terror regime and its proxies, unlike Erdoğan, who accommodates them and massacred his own Kurdish citizens”, he wrote.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry subsequently condemned Netanyahu’s remarks as “baseless, brazen, and false”, accusing him of attempting to destabilise ongoing diplomatic efforts to end regional hostilities.
“Netanyahu’s current objective is to undermine peace negotiations and pursue expansionist policies in the region”, the ministry said in a statement.
Ankara also referenced the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant issued against Netanyahu, saying the Israeli leader’s personal attacks on Erdogan reflected “the discomfort caused by the truths we have consistently voiced on every platform”.
“Turkey will continue its efforts to ensure that Netanyahu is held accountable for the crimes he has committed”, the statement concluded, underscoring the growing diplomatic rift between the two countries.
