The war against Iran will continue unabated and without compromises, says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a video statement.
Israel has “an organized plan with many surprises” for the next phase of the war with Iran, says Netanyahu, “to destabilize the regime, to enable change.”
He says to IRGC members, “You are also in our sights. Whoever puts his weapon down, no harm will come to him. Whoever doesn’t do that, his blood is on his head.”
Turning to the Iranian people, Netanyahu says, “The moment of truth is drawing near.”
Israel is “not trying to divide Iran,” he says, “we are trying to free Iran.”
But ultimately, “it depends on you” to free Iran, he says to Iranians, predicting it will bring peace between Israel and Iran, and a widened circle of peace.
US President Donald Trump told Netanyahu during their December meeting, “Bibi, we have to stop Iran at any cost from attaining a nuclear weapon,” says the premier, thanking Trump for his “historic leadership” in the “US-Israel pact that is stronger than ever.”
Israel “stands with” the other countries that have been attacked by Iran, says Netanyahu, declaring that “everyone now understands that the ayatollahs’ regime endangers the world.” He claims that “many nations” are turning to Israel, requesting cooperation, “because we are strong, because we are right, because we are fighting.”
Netanyahu says many states in the region recognize the hypocrisy of the UN, which “unfoundedly castigated” Israel when fighting its just war against Hamas, but which was silent while Iranians were being slaughtered by their own leadership, and turns his fire on Western leaders for their “weakness and flaccidity” in their abandonment of Iran’s people.
When late supreme leader Ali Khamenei was slaughtering tens of thousands of Iranians, asks Netanyahu rhetorically, “where was the UN? Where were many states in the West? And where was the international media that denounces us relentlessly with fake news? They were nowhere; they simply disappeared.”
“Many countries see today exactly who they can count on,” says Netanyahu. “Israel is a lighthouse of power and hope.”
Thanks to that power, he continues, “we can widen the circle of security, peace and economic flourishing in the future to levels we have never seen.”
“But right now,” he says, addressing Israeli citizens, “we are still in the midst of a hard campaign. We won’t cease to hit the dictators in Iran… without compromise.”
Netanyahu also warns the Lebanese government: “It is your responsibility to enforce the [2024] ceasefire agreement. It is your responsibility to disarm Hezbollah.”
If Lebanon’s government doesn’t do that, Hezbollah’s attacks will bring disaster to Lebanon, says Netanyahu. “The time has come for you, too, to take your fate into your hands.”
Israel, says Netanyahu, “will do everything necessary to protect our towns and our citizens.”