Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reflected on the lead-up to the conflict on Friday, declaring that Israel had given Iran every chance to stop its nuclear program and that when Tehran chose not to, it ended up with nothing — no uranium enrichment capacity, no ballistic missiles — after twenty days of war. He rejected claims about Israeli manipulation of US foreign policy. Netanyahu was firm and philosophical throughout the press conference, projecting the conviction of a leader who believed history had vindicated his decisions.
The prime minister addressed the Trump-Israel relationship in terms that emphasized both its closeness and its genuine nature. He called their coordination historically unprecedented and positioned Trump as the dominant partner. Netanyahu disclosed that Trump had contributed his own independently formed understanding of Iran’s nuclear threat to their discussions, enriching their shared strategy with analytical insights that went beyond standard briefings.
Netanyahu confirmed Israel struck the South Pars gas compound alone and disclosed Trump’s personal request to pause further strikes on Iranian gas infrastructure. He presented both facts transparently, treating them as natural elements of a close and functioning alliance. Netanyahu maintained throughout that Israel’s operational independence remained fully intact.
On the Hormuz issue, Netanyahu called Iran’s closure threats empty blackmail. He proposed overland pipeline routes from the Arabian Peninsula to Israeli and Mediterranean ports as a lasting structural solution. Netanyahu argued this would permanently neutralize the Hormuz chokepoint and insulate global energy markets from Iranian pressure.
Netanyahu concluded with observations about 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 power factions and concluded that this political instability, combined with military losses, was pushing the war toward an end sooner than most anticipated.