Friday’s press conference saw Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu make some of his most forceful statements yet about the state of the war with Iran, claiming the country has been stripped of its ability to produce ballistic missiles or enrich uranium in the twenty days since hostilities began. He showed no hesitation in pushing back against media reports suggesting Israel had forced the United States into the conflict. Netanyahu framed the war as a partnership of equals between himself and President Trump, not a case of tail wagging the dog.
The Israeli prime minister’s remarks on the US relationship were direct and at times pointed. He challenged the premise that anyone could pressure Trump, presenting the American leader as a deeply independent decision-maker who came to his own conclusions about Iran’s nuclear threat. Netanyahu said Trump actually helped shape his understanding of the danger of Iran developing underground nuclear-tipped missile capabilities.
Confirming that Israel acted alone in striking the South Pars gas facility, Netanyahu nonetheless acknowledged that Trump had reached out requesting a pause in attacks on Iranian gas infrastructure. This public disclosure of a direct presidential request was among the more diplomatic revelations of the briefing. Netanyahu handled it carefully, framing it as normal coordination between close allies.
Iran’s threats to close the Strait of Hormuz drew a sharp rebuttal from Netanyahu, who called the move attempted blackmail of the global community. He proposed establishing land-based pipeline routes from the Arabian Peninsula directly to Israeli and Mediterranean ports, circumventing the strait’s strategic chokepoint. Netanyahu argued this infrastructure would permanently weaken Iran’s ability to leverage Hormuz as a pressure tool.
Netanyahu ended his remarks with observations about Iran’s internal turmoil, noting that the country’s new supreme leader had not made any public appearances. He said this absence was telling, pointing to significant friction among those vying for control in post-strike Tehran. Netanyahu expressed optimism that the combination of military success and internal Iranian instability would bring the war to a close more quickly than expected.