Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered a striking time-based contrast on Friday, declaring that Iran’s mullahs had spent decades building their nuclear program and that Israel had ended it in a matter of days through the twenty-day military campaign that eliminated Tehran’s uranium enrichment and ballistic missile production capabilities. He rejected claims about Israeli manipulation of US foreign policy and expressed confidence the war was nearing its conclusion. Netanyahu was historically sharp and confident throughout the briefing.
The prime minister addressed his relationship with Trump with characteristic warmth and directness. He called their coordination historically unprecedented and framed Trump as the dominant partner. Netanyahu revealed that Trump had brought his own independently formed and analytically deep understanding of Iran’s nuclear threat to their discussions, enriching their shared strategic thinking.
Netanyahu confirmed Israel struck the South Pars gas compound alone and disclosed Trump’s personal request to hold off on further strikes on Iranian gas infrastructure. He presented both facts transparently, treating them as natural elements of a close and functioning alliance. Netanyahu maintained throughout that Israel’s operational independence remained fully intact.
On the Hormuz question, Netanyahu dismissed Iran’s closure threats as blackmail that would not work. He proposed overland pipeline routes from the Arabian Peninsula to Israeli and Mediterranean ports as a lasting structural alternative. Netanyahu argued this infrastructure would permanently neutralize the Hormuz chokepoint and create durable energy security for the region.
Netanyahu concluded with analysis of Iran’s visible leadership dysfunction. He noted Mojtaba had not been seen publicly and admitted genuine uncertainty about who was governing the country. Netanyahu pointed to fierce competition among Tehran’s ruling factions and concluded that this political chaos, combined with military losses, was driving the war toward a faster-than-expected conclusion.