"I have no doubt that this government wants to wipe us out," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on 22/6, referring to Iran. "That's why we started the campaign to eliminate two specific threats to our existence: the nuclear threat and the ballistic missile threat. We are gradually achieving these goals. We are very, very close to completing them."
The Israeli prime minister asserted that he would not let the country be drawn into a "war of attrition".
"We will not pursue actions beyond the goals we need to achieve, but we will not end too soon either. When we achieve all our objectives, the operation will be complete, and the war will stop," he said.
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a video address on 22/6. Photo: Times of Israel |
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a video address on 22/6. Photo: Times of Israel
Israel launched Operation "Lion Rising" on 13/6, targeting Iranian nuclear and missile facilities, as well as several military leaders and security agencies. At the start of the operation, Mr. Netanyahu declared that action had to be taken to prevent Iran from pursuing its nuclear ambitions. He also stated that Iran's plan to produce 300 ballistic missiles per month was a driving factor behind the operation.
The Israeli prime minister said that more than 50% of Iran's ballistic missile launchers have been destroyed in the past 10 days. He also said the US had caused "very serious damage" to Iran's fortified Fordow nuclear facility, but declined to elaborate on the extent of the damage.
The US carried out Operation "Midnight Hammer" on 22/6, using 14 bunker-buster bombs, more than 20 Tomahawk missiles, and over 125 military aircraft to strike three Iranian nuclear facilities: Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.
According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Iran's uranium has reached 60% enrichment and is on track to reach the 90% needed for weapons production. Dr. Kaitlin Cook, a nuclear physicist at the Australian National University, said the enrichment process from 60% to weapons grade is much easier than the initial stage of reaching 60%.
When asked about Iran's stockpile of highly enriched uranium, Mr. Netanyahu said Israel had "interesting intelligence information" but declined to disclose it. There is speculation that Iran transferred some of its uranium out of the underground Natanz and Fordow facilities before the US airstrikes.
The Israeli military said its air force continued to attack Iran on 23/6, hitting "dozens" of targets across the country, including missile launchers. Another attack was announced on the evening of the same day, targeting Tehran and western Iran.
Thuy Lam (According to AFP, Times of Israel)
