Netanyahu Claims Iran’s Nuclear Program ‘Crippled Quite a Bit’ After US-Israeli Strikes

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserted on Sunday that coordinated military actions between the United States and Israel have severely hampered Iran's nuclear program. Speaking in an interview with Fox News, Netanyahu claimed that these operations have set Iran's nuclear capabilities back by several years.

Netanyahu detailed that the strikes targeted critical components of Iran's nuclear infrastructure. He further alleged that the operations resulted in the elimination of 20 key nuclear scientists involved in the program. "We knocked out 20 of their chief nuclear scientists in the two operations that we did with the United States," Netanyahu stated, emphasizing that Iran's nuclear ambitions have been substantially weakened.

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We knocked out 20 of their chief nuclear scientists in the two operations that we did with the United States.

Despite these claims, Netanyahu urged the international community to maintain vigilance to prevent Tehran from reviving its nuclear capabilities. He also issued a stern warning to Iran, stating that any direct or proxy attacks on Israel, whether through ballistic missiles or drones, would be met with an extremely forceful response. The Israeli leader highlighted that Israel would retaliate strongly against any perceived threat from Iran, as tensions between the two nations remain elevated.

Furthermore, Netanyahu expressed support for U.S. President Donald Trump's strategy of linking Saudi Arabia's civilian nuclear aspirations with potential normalization agreements under the Abraham Accords. He welcomed the prospect of Saudi Arabia joining the normalization process, noting Israel's existing agreements with several Arab nations. Netanyahu also refuted claims of Israel's international isolation, pointing to ongoing cooperation with countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East in areas of technology, security, and military expertise. Netanyahu is scheduled to visit Washington next week for the funeral of former U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham and plans to meet with President Trump.

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If Iran attacks Israel, either directly or through proxies, either with ballistic missiles, or UAVs, or killer drones, it will make a terrible mistake. Because our response, Israel’s response, will be very, very forceful.