Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered a dual assessment on Friday, declaring that Iran had been stripped of its nuclear enrichment and ballistic missile capabilities while also noting that the country was experiencing a deepening internal power struggle. He rejected claims about Israeli responsibility for US involvement in the war and expressed confidence that the conflict was heading toward an accelerated conclusion. Netanyahu’s press conference was detailed, confident, and strategically rich.
The prime minister spoke about his alliance with Trump in terms of shared conviction and deep mutual alignment. He described their coordination as historically unparalleled and framed Trump as the dominant partner. Netanyahu disclosed that Trump had brought an independently formed and sophisticated understanding of Iran’s nuclear threat to their discussions, reflecting a genuine partnership of strategic equals.
Netanyahu confirmed Israel struck South Pars alone and acknowledged Trump’s personal request to pause further attacks on Iranian gas infrastructure. He handled both disclosures with diplomatic care, presenting them as healthy features of a close alliance. Netanyahu maintained throughout that Israel’s military decision-making remained fully autonomous.
On Iran’s Hormuz threats, Netanyahu called them blackmail and said they would fail. He proposed overland pipeline corridors from the Arabian Peninsula to Israeli and Mediterranean ports as a permanent structural alternative. Netanyahu argued this would create lasting energy resilience and neutralize the Hormuz chokepoint.
Netanyahu’s final remarks focused on Iran’s leadership instability. He noted Mojtaba had not been seen publicly and admitted he was genuinely unsure who was running the country. Netanyahu observed intense internal competition for power in Tehran and concluded that this combined with military losses was accelerating the war’s conclusion.
