Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has described his country’s 12-day military campaign against Iran as a “historic victory,” following a ceasefire agreement between both nations. Speaking during a televised address on Tuesday, he declared that Iran’s nuclear capabilities had been severely damaged and promised to prevent any future reconstruction efforts.
“We have thwarted Iran’s nuclear project,” Netanyahu told viewers, assuring them that “Iran will never have a nuclear weapon.” He warned that any move by Iran to rebuild would be met with the same intensity that defined the recent operation.
Israel’s top military official, Eyal Zamir, stated that the strikes had pushed back Iran’s nuclear ambitions “by years” and that the military campaign had now shifted to a new phase. According to the Israeli government, the strikes targeted both nuclear and missile facilities and eliminated high-level military and intelligence figures. The mission also included attacks on state-controlled media and Evin prison in Tehran.
The operation, dubbed “Rising Lion,” was praised by Netanyahu as one that military forces would study globally. He said the offensive had neutralized what Israel considered a dual existential threat posed by Iran’s nuclear weapons program and missile development.
Following U.S. involvement in the final days of the conflict, former President Donald Trump said American forces had “totally obliterated” Iran’s key nuclear sites. Despite these claims, some experts remain unsure of the long-term impact, suggesting Iran may have relocated parts of its enriched uranium stockpile before the strikes.
Iranian officials, while confirming readiness to return to nuclear talks with the U.S., maintained their stance on pursuing peaceful atomic energy. President Masoud Pezeshkian emphasized that Iran would not relinquish its “legitimate rights” under international agreements.
Iran has consistently denied any intention to build nuclear weapons.
