Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told reporters Friday that the war with Iran was heading toward a swift conclusion, pointing to the destruction of Tehran’s uranium enrichment and ballistic missile capabilities as evidence that the conflict’s end was approaching. He rejected claims about Israeli manipulation of US foreign policy decisions. Netanyahu was optimistic and precise throughout the briefing, offering a detailed picture of both military progress and geopolitical strategy.
On the Trump-Israel alliance, Netanyahu was expansive and complimentary. He described their coordination as historically unmatched, while emphasizing Trump’s independence and analytical depth. Netanyahu revealed that Trump had explained certain dimensions of the Iranian nuclear threat to him, rather than simply receiving briefings from Israeli sources, underscoring the reciprocal and substantive nature of their partnership.
Netanyahu confirmed Israel’s unilateral strike on the South Pars gas compound and noted Trump’s request to pause further attacks on Iranian gas facilities. He treated both facts transparently, framing them as features of a healthy and communicative alliance. Netanyahu was clear that Israel’s operational independence remained fully intact.
The prime minister called Iran’s Hormuz threats blackmail and said they would not succeed. He proposed pipeline corridors from the Arabian Peninsula to Israeli and Mediterranean ports as a permanent structural solution. Netanyahu argued this infrastructure would make the Hormuz chokepoint strategically irrelevant and protect the region’s energy supply from Iranian interference.
Netanyahu’s final remarks highlighted the confusion within Iran’s leadership. He noted that the anticipated new supreme leader had not appeared publicly and said he was unsure who was making decisions in Tehran. Netanyahu observed fierce internal competition for power and concluded that this political chaos, combined with military defeats, was driving the conflict toward a resolution faster than most had predicted.