Netanyahu declares historic win, says Israel removed Iran’s nuclear threat in 12-day war

TEL AVIV – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on June 24 that Israel in its 12 days of war with Iran had removed the threat of nuclear annihilation and was determined to thwart any attempt by Tehran to revive its programme.

“We have removed two immediate existential threats to us – the threat of nuclear annihilation and the threat of annihilation by 20,000 ballistic missiles,” he said in video remarks issued by his office.

“If anyone in Iran tries to revive this project, we will work with the same determination and strength to thwart any such attempt. I repeat, Iran will not have nuclear weapons.”

Mr Netanyahu called it a historic victory that would stand for generations.

He said Israel had never had a better friend in the White House than President Donald Trump, whose US military

dropped massive bunker-buster bombs

on Iran’s underground nuclear sites in an attack over the weekend.

“Our friend President Trump has rallied to our side in an unprecedented way. Under his direction, the United States military destroyed the underground enrichment site at Fordow,” Mr Netanyahu said.

He spoke hours after the US President directed stinging criticism at Israel over the scale of strikes that Mr Trump said had violated a truce with Iran negotiated by Washington, Israel’s closest ally.

Mr Netanyahu said Israel’s work was unfinished. He cited the war against Iran’s ally Hamas in Gaza, where 50 hostages remain in captivity since the Palestinian militant group carried out

a surprise attack on Oct 7, 2023.

About 20 are believed to be alive.

“We must complete the campaign against the Iranian axis, defeat Hamas and bring about the release of all the hostages, both living and dead,” he said. REUTERS