“If we don’t attack, then it’s 100% that we will die,” he argued in a video statement to the nation, hours after Israel launched blistering attacks on the heart of Iran’s nuclear and military structure Friday, deploying warplanes and drones previously smuggled into the country to attack key facilities and kill top generals and scientists.
Israel, he said, identified tangible steps Iran was taking toward weaponization, beyond just uranium enrichment. Netanyahu said he set the date for the attack on Iran for the end of April 2025. However, he pointed to “various reasons” it couldn’t be done then, without going into detail.
One very pressing reason might have been US President Donald Trump’s announcement in April that he would engage in direct talks with Iran over its nuclear program. Trump said he had given the Iranians 60 days to reach a deal. Friday was day 61.
Netanyahu also said Israel had identified that, after Israeli strikes on Iran’s ballistic missile program last year, Tehran embarked on a program to create 300 ballistic missiles a month.
Netanyahu said that would have left Israel facing an arsenal of thousands of missiles, each one topped with a ton of explosives that could be rained down on Israel.
“We decided we couldn’t wait anymore. We are at midnight,” he said.
In addition to Natanz, the Air Force struck an Iranian nuclear facility near Isfahan, IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin revealed during a press conference.
“We will not allow Iran to advance toward a nuclear [bomb]. We will not allow the development of missiles intended to harm us,” he said.
His comments came after the Mehr news agency reported a “massive explosion” was heard in Isfahan, a major city in central Iran, in a province that is home to several nuclear facilities.
Besides the nuclear sites at Isfahan and Natanz, which Israel has confirmed targeting, there have also been reports and footage of an attack at Fordo.
Speaking to Channel 12, Tzachi Hanegbi said the overall goal of Israel’s campaign, rather, is to pressure Iran militarily into agreeing to completely dismantle its nuclear program.
However, Channel 12, citing unnamed senior officials, said that Israel had sent a warning to Iran that if civilian population centers were targeted in Iran’s response, Israel would attack the political leaders and major infrastructure, like oil refineries.
Hanegbi specified that the goals of the ongoing operation, as approved by the cabinet, against Iran were four-fold: striking Iran’s nuclear program, striking its ballistic missile capabilities; attacking its capacity to destroy Israel via a ground attack; and creating the conditions for the long-term thwarting of Iran’s nuclear program via diplomatic means.
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