After Israel launched its preemptive attack against Iran on Thursday, which seemed imminent given the reports coming in earlier this week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave an address with updates. The address came "moments" after, as Netanyahu justified the attack, known as "Operation Rising Lion."
The attack was "a targeted military operation to roll back the Iranian threat to Israel's very survival," Netanyahu shared. "This operation will continue for as many days as it takes to remove this threat," he insisted.
"For decades, the tyrants of Tehran have brazenly, openly called for Israel's destruction. They backed up their genocidal rhetoric with a program to develop nuclear weapons," Netanyahu continued, as he also warned of how Iran has indeed developed enough of uranium to the point of presenting "a clear and present danger to Israel's very survival." Netanyahu even referenced the Holocaust to warn of another kind, and to make clear that "today, the Jewish State refuses to be a victim of a nuclear Holocaust perpetuated by the Iranian regime."
The prime minister also further spoke of how he has spoken out against Iran during his tenure, to further justify the attack. "Now as prime minister, I've made it clear time and again Israel will never allow those who call for our annihilation the means to achieve that," he reminded. "Tonight, Israel backs those words with action. We struck at the heart of Iran's nuclear enrichment program. We struck at the heart of Iran's nuclear weaponization program," Netanyahu shared. Israel also struck at the scientists working on such bombs as well as their missile ballistic program. This comes after Iran attacked Israel last year, as Netanyahu reminded, with Iran "gearing up" to do more. "This is an intolerable threat, it too must be stopped," Netanyahu stressed.
With how Iran has failed with its plans to go after Israel in the past, there's a new plan in place, the prime minister warned about. "Iran is now working on what it calls the new plan to destroy Israel. You see, the old plan failed. Iran and its proxies tried to encircle Israel with a ring of fire," as the prime minister also mentioned "the horrible attack of October 7." The terrorist attack perpetrated by Hamas terrorists had backing from Iran.
Netanyahu quickly turned to a hopeful tone, though. "But the people of Israel, the soldiers of Israel, rose like lions to defend our country! We crushed Hamas, we devastated Hezbollah, we hit Iranian proxies in Syria and Yemen. And when Iran directly attacked us twice last year, we struck back inside Iran itself," he called to mind.
The prime minister also laid out how Iran is dangerous for others in the region. "Yet in defending ourselves, we also defend our Arab neighbors. They too have suffered from Iran's campaign of chaos and carnage. Our actions against Iran's proxy Hezbollah led to a new government in Lebanon, and the collapse of Assad's murderous regime in Syria. The peoples of those two countries now have a chance for a different future, a better future," he said, further continuing his hopeful tone.
Netanyahu's message of hope was even shared for the people of Iran. "So too do the brave people of Iran. And I have a message for them: our fight is not with you. Our fight is with the brutal dictatorship that has oppressed you for 46 years. I believe that the day of your liberation is near," he even predicted. "And when that happens, the great friendship between our two ancient peoples will flourish once again."
The prime minister continued with his address as he segued into a message to "reassure the civilized world" to further justify the attack. "We will not let the world's most dangerous regime get the worlds most dangerous weapons. And Iran plans to give those weapons... to its terrorist proxies that would make the nightmare of nuclear terrorism all too real," Netanyahu warned, as he continued to stress how dangerous their nuclear weapons program is. That program would even "be brought to the cities of Europe, and eventually, to America." There was another reminder in there, which is that, "remember, Iran calls Israel 'the Small Satan'" and "it calls America 'the Great Satan,'" which has "led to chants of 'Death to Israel' and 'Death to America.'"
"Today, Israel is responding to those genocidal calls with action and with a call of our: 'long live Israel,' and 'long live America,'" Netanyahu enthusiastically proclaimed as he connected such calls to the reason for the night's attack. "Our action will help make the world a much safer place."
Netanyahu also thanked President Donald Trump "for his leadership in confronting Iran's nuclear weapons program," with Trump also having "made clear time and again that Iran cannot have a nuclear enrichment program," the prime minister reminded.
The prime minister also further stressed the need for such action based due to how "today it is clear that Iran was just buying for time" as "it refuses to adhere to this basic requirement of peaceful nations," which is why Israel feels they "have no choice but to act, and act now."
Netanyahu also spoke to how the decision to act in such a way is "the hardest decision a leader has to make," which is "to thwart a danger before it is fully materialized." He once more brought up the Holocaust, with how leaders at the time failed to act and were too "paralyzed" after World War I, and thus "developed a policy of appeasement, which led to World War II. "After that war, the Jewish people and the Jewish State vowed, "Never Again.'"
"Well, 'Never Again' is now! Today, Israel has shown that we have learned the lessons of history. When enemies vow to destroy you, believe them. When enemies build weapons of mass death, stop them. As the Bible teaches us, when someone comes to kill you, rise and act first! This is exactly what Israel has done today. We have risen like lions to defend ourselves," Netanyahu said to bring his remarks full circle. The prime minister also referenced the Bible once more by mentioning Moses, specifically his message "to steel their resolve ever since," for the people of Israel, which is to "be strong and courageous."
"Today, our strong and courageous soldiers and people stand together to defend ourselves against those who seek our destruction. And in defending ourselves, we defend many others and we roll back a murderous tyranny. Generations from now, history will record that our generation stood its ground, acted in time, and secured our common future," Netanyahu said to close his speech. "May God bless Israel, may God bless the forces civilization everywhere! Thank you."
Secretary of State Marco Rubio also issued a statement after the news of the attack came out, making clear that the United States was not involved in this preemptive attack.
Prime Minister Netanyahu:
— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) June 13, 2025
"Moments ago, Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, a targeted military operation to roll back the Iranian threat to Israel's very survival.
This operation will continue for as many days as it takes to remove this threat." pic.twitter.com/3c8oF1GCYa