03/13/2026
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, this evening, at a Press Conference
"Citizens of Israel, my brothers and sisters,
We are in historic days, days that will be recorded in the annals of Israel. In Operation Roaring Lion, our roar is growing stronger. We are crushing the terrorist regime in Iran. We are striking and crushing its proxy Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Through an unprecedented partnership between Israel and the U.S., we have achieved enormous accomplishments that are changing the balance of power in the Middle East and beyond. These achievements are establishing Israel's status as a power that is stronger than ever. This dramatic shift in our power relative to the power of our enemies is the key to ensuring our existence.
Threats come and go – but when we become a regional power, and in certain fields a global power; we have the strength to push dangers away from us and secure our future.
In 1993, I published a newspaper article and I wrote: 'The greatest danger to Israel's existence is not found in the Arab states; it is found in Iran.' Since then, for over thirty years, the murderous regime of the ayatollahs has indeed acted to harm the U.S. and the West, but first and foremost, it acted to advance its plan for the destruction of Israel.
It did so on three levels: First – it built an 'Axis of Evil' with terrorist armies of Hezbollah, Hamas, the Houthis, the Assad regime, and others. The second level – it worked to establish an array of tens of thousands of lethal ballistic missiles. And the third level – it worked to develop nuclear bombs with the declared goal of wiping us off the face of the earth. Well, it will not do so.
As Prime Minister of Israel, I led many overt and covert operations that delayed Iran and diminished its capabilities. But at the same time, we built our own military, technological and diplomatic capabilities, in order to strike Iran forcefully and push the threats away from us. All these efforts converged into the War of Redemption, Operation Rising Lion and Operation Roaring Lion.
In the War of Redemption, we severely damaged the 'Axis of Evil.' It is still there, but with greatly reduced capabilities. We are committed to completing the task: Bringing security to all citizens of Israel and particularly to the residents of the North, as we are doing – and will continue to do – for the residents of the South. Hezbollah is feeling the weight of our arm, and it will feel it even more intensely. It will pay a very heavy price for its aggression.
In Operation Rising Lion, we also broke ground for the first time for a comprehensive strike – both on Iran's vast missile stockpile and on the production plants for additional missiles. We did the same regarding the nuclear project – including a mortal blow to senior Iranian scientists. They were the ones who led the development of the nuclear bombs intended to destroy us. They are no longer. And by the way, we hit a few more just now.
After Operation Rising Lion, President Trump and I warned the tyrant Khamenei. We told him: If you try to rebuild your industries of death – we will strike you with a force you have never known. Not only did he not listen to us; he began an accelerated action to restore the nuclear and missile programs – and this time to hide them deep, deep underground, under high mountains. If we had not acted immediately, within a few months Iran's death industry would have been immune to any strike.
Therefore, we set out together on a campaign – the U.S. and Israel – to continue what we did in Rising Lion: To prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, and to prevent Iran from developing ballistic missiles that would threaten Israel, the U.S., and the entire world. This is our goal.
Within a short time, we eliminated the enemy Khamenei and many senior officials in the terrorist regime. We eliminated the old tyrant – and the new tyrant, Mojtaba, the puppet of the Revolutionary Guards, cannot show his face in public. We are crushing the nuclear infrastructure, the missile and launcher array, the headquarters of oppression, the regime's power centers, and many more targets.
And simultaneously, we are acting to promote another goal: To create the conditions for the Iranian people so they can remove the cruel regime of tyranny that has ruled them for nearly half a century. We are landing crushing blows on the Revolutionary Guards and the Basij both in the streets and at checkpoints – and we are still active.
I say to the Iranian people: The moment when you can embark on a new path of freedom – that moment is approaching. We stand by you, we are helping you. But at the end of the day – it depends on you! It is in your hands!
Even now, it can be said with certainty: This is no longer the same Iran, it is no longer the same Middle East, and it is also not the same Israel. We do not wait. We initiate, we attack, and we do so with a force that is unprecedented!
We have created an alliance like no other with the U.S. – an alliance with our great friend, my personal friend, President Trump. We speak almost every day. We talk candidly, focusing, exchanging ideas and counsel, and deciding together. President Trump told me something that I want to share with you. A short while ago he told me this: 'The relationship between us is a hundred times stronger than any relationship that has ever existed between an American president and a prime minister in Israel.' We are not thinking only about our countries, only about this generation. We are thinking also about future generations, about the future of humanity.
In these days, my staff and I are weaving additional alliances with countries in the region, alliances that until a few weeks ago would have seemed unimaginable. We are doing this thanks to the immense power we built, thanks to the mighty heroism of our commanders and fighters, and thanks to your steadfastness – citizens of Israel.
I know that you are strictly following the Home Front Command instructions. You enter the protected spaces time and time again. I know it is not easy. I know it is also very difficult right now in the North. But by adhering to these things, you are both saving lives – and giving the backing and breathing room to me, the Israeli government, the IDF, and the security forces to achieve the goals of the campaign.
How did President Trump ask me in amazement? 'Only in Israel are the rescue flights – reversed. In the whole world, people want to flee from combat zones – and only with you, in Israel, everyone wants to return.'
'Where does this spirit come from?' – he always asks me. And I answer him: 'This is the secret of our success. This is the resilience of our people. This is the power of our faith – the faith in the Eternity of Israel!'"
