JERUSALEM, Israel — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the nation on Saturday as Israeli and U.S. forces launched coordinated strikes against Iran, characterizing the offensive as a necessary measure to eliminate what he described as an “existential threat” posed by Tehran’s regime.
In a recorded video message, Netanyahu said that just an hour earlier, Israel and the United States had begun a military operation aimed at dismantling Iran’s military and nuclear capability and confronting the long‑standing hostility of its government toward Israel and the West.
“I thank our great friend, President Donald Trump, for his historic leadership,” Netanyahu said, crediting the U.S. president’s support and partnership in the campaign.
For nearly five decades, Netanyahu said, Iran’s leadership has openly called for the destruction of Israel and the United States, rhetoric he said Tehran has backed with support for proxy fighters, attacks on Israeli and American interests, and opposition to peace in the Middle East.
“This murderous terrorist regime must not be allowed to arm itself with nuclear weapons that would enable it to threaten all of humanity,” he added.
The prime minister framed the offensive as part of a broader push not just to degrade Iran’s capabilities but also to create political pressure internally in Iran.
“Our joint operation will create the conditions for the brave Iranian people to take their fate into their own hands,” he said, calling on Persians, Kurds, Azeris, Balochs and Ahwazis to “cast off the yoke of tyranny and bring freedom and peace‑loving values to Iran.”
Tensions in the region soared as air raid sirens sounded in Israel, emergency protocols were enacted, and coordinated U.S.–Israeli military actions targeted multiple strategic sites inside Iran.
President Donald J. Trump on the United States military combat operations in Iran:
Iranian forces have vowed retaliation, and explosions were reported across several cities, including Tehran.
Netanyahu also urged Israelis to stay united and follow civil defense instructions as Operation “Lion’s Roar” — the name given to the joint offensive — continues. “In the coming days… we will all be called upon to show patience and strength of spirit,” he said.
“Together we will stand, together we will fight, and together we will ensure the eternity of Israel.”
Analysts warn the strikes mark a significant escalation in the long‑running confrontation with Tehran, carrying risks of broader conflict across the Middle East and further international fallout.
