Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered a three-dimensional assessment of Iran’s decline on Friday, declaring the country was losing the war militarily through the destruction of its uranium enrichment and missile capabilities, politically through its fractured new leadership, and strategically through the failure of its Hormuz blackmail. He rejected claims about Israeli manipulation of US foreign policy. Netanyahu was comprehensive and confident throughout the press conference, expressing certainty that the war was nearing its end.
The prime minister spoke about the Trump-Israel partnership with pride and clarity. He called their coordination historically unprecedented and positioned Trump as the dominant partner. Netanyahu revealed that Trump had brought his own independently formed understanding of Iran’s nuclear threat to their discussions, contributing insights that enriched their shared strategic thinking.
Netanyahu confirmed Israel struck the South Pars gas compound alone and acknowledged Trump’s personal request to pause further strikes on Iranian gas infrastructure. He presented both the military action and the diplomatic communication transparently, framing them as natural features of an extraordinary alliance. Netanyahu maintained throughout that Israel’s operational independence remained fully intact.
On the Hormuz issue, Netanyahu called Iran’s closure threats empty blackmail. He proposed pipeline routes from the Arabian Peninsula to Israeli and Mediterranean ports as a lasting structural solution. Netanyahu argued this would permanently neutralize the Hormuz chokepoint and reduce the world’s vulnerability to Iranian maritime pressure.
Netanyahu concluded with analysis of Iran’s leadership breakdown. He noted Mojtaba had not appeared publicly and admitted genuine uncertainty about who was running the country. Netanyahu pointed to the fierce competition for power in Tehran and concluded that this political instability, combined with military losses, was driving the conflict toward a faster-than-expected conclusion.