•Benjamin Netanyahu and Donald Trump
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said yesterday that Israel and the United States were “winning” the war against Iran, with the Islamic republic “decimated” and unable to enrich uranium or manufacture ballistic missiles.
In an English‑language press conference, Netanyahu insisted Israel had “acted alone” in striking Iran’s massive South Pars gas field, while confirming that US President Donald Trump had asked Israeli forces to “hold off” on such attacks moving forward.
The Israeli premier also rejected the notion that he had dragged Trump into the conflict, implying that he was the junior partner in the joint assault on Iran, reports AFP.
“Does anyone really think that someone can tell President Trump what to do?” Netanyahu told reporters.
“He didn’t need any convincing,” he added.
“I don’t think any two leaders have been as coordinated as President Trump and I. He’s the leader. I’m, you know, his ally.”
The veteran Israeli politician sought to paint a broad portrait of success for the nearly three‑week conflict that has engulfed the Middle East.
“We are taking action to destroy the industries that make it possible to build missiles. Iran no longer has the capacity to enrich uranium and manufacture ballistic missiles,” Netanyahu said.
“We are winning and Iran is being decimated.”
The offensive is also forging cracks among the surviving leaders of the Islamic republic, divisions Israel is working to deepen, Netanyahu said.
“I’m not sure who’s running Iran right now. Mojtaba, the replacement ayatollah, has not shown his face,” he said, referring to Iran’s newly appointed supreme leader, the son of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike on the first day of the war.
“What we see is that there is a lot of tension inside the people who are edging for the top,” Netanyahu further said.
“We’re seeing cracks, and we’re trying to propagate them as fast as we can. Not only in the top command — we’re seeing cracks in the field.”
‘Hold off’
The strike on the Iranian gas field has shaken already jittery world energy markets, and Trump yesterday indicated displeasure with the attack.
“We’re not doing that anymore,” the president said in the Oval Office.
Netanyahu made clear the message had been received.
“President Trump asked us to hold off on future attacks and we’re holding off.”
Netanyahu also called Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which has sent energy prices soaring, “blackmail” that “won’t work.”
The Israeli premier further indicated his campaign against Iran would continue, saying: “There’s still more work to do, and we’re gonna do it.”
But he added: “I also see this war ending a lot faster than people think.”
