Israeli PM, Benjamin Netanyahu has defended recent military actions against Iran and militant groups Hamas and Hezbollah, claiming they no longer pose significant threats due to Israel’s sustained operations.
Netanyahu made the remarks on Sunday during a visit to the IDF Northern Command, alongside Defence Minister Israel Katz and IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir.
‘Iran is not the same Iran, Hezbollah is not the same Hezbollah, and Hamas is not the same Hamas,’ he said, describing them as weakened forces struggling to survive.
He praised Israeli military commanders for their roles in what he described as a ‘multi-arena campaign,’ noting that Israel had intensified both defensive and offensive operations to prevent attacks.
According to Netanyahu, the use of ‘immense force’ against Iran and its allies has yielded ‘great accomplishments,’ pointing to what he called visible cracks in leadership structures in Tehran.
He also referenced the killing of former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in 2024, stating that Israel had significantly reduced the group’s military strength.
‘We eliminated Nasrallah and thousands of Hezbollah fighters. We also neutralised a major threat of about 150,000 missiles and rockets intended to target Israeli cities,’ he said.
However, Netanyahu acknowledged that Hezbollah still retains some capacity to launch rockets, adding that discussions with military leaders are ongoing to fully eliminate the threat.
