Netanyahu says Israel close to meeting its goals in Iran
Israel was very close to meeting its goals in Iran of removing the threats of ballistic missiles and the nuclear program, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday.
Speaking to Israeli reporters, he said: 'We won't pursue our actions beyond what is needed to achieve them, but we also won't finish too soon. When the objectives are achieved, then the operation is complete and the fighting will stop.'
'I have no doubt that this is a regime that wants to wipe us out, and that's why we embarked on this operation to eliminate the two concrete threats to our existence: the nuclear threat, the ballistic missile threat. We are moving step by step towards achieving these goals. We are very, very close to completing them,' he said.
Earlier, The Israeli military said its fighter jets had struck 'dozens' of targets across Iran on Sunday, including a long-range missile site in Yazd in the center of the country for the first time.
A statement said that 'approximately 30 IAF (air force) fighter jets struck dozens of military targets throughout Iran' – including 'the 'Imam Hussein' Strategic Missile Command Center in the Yazd area, where long-range Khorramshahr missiles were stored.'
The statement also confirmed strikes on missile launchers in Bushehr province, where a 'massive explosion' was reported by Iranian media on Sunday, as well as in Ahwaz in the southwest and central Isfahan.
Isfahan is home to a uranium conversion facility targeted by more than two dozen missiles fired from a US submarine in the Middle East overnight.
Earlier Sunday, military spokesman Effie Defrin vowed there would be no let-up in Israel's offensive against Iran despite overnight US strikes on Iran's nuclear sites which President Donald Trump claimed had been 'obliterated.'
'We are continuing and are determined to achieve the objectives of the operation: eliminating the existential threat to the state of Israel, damaging Iran's nuclear program and destroying its missile systems,' Defrin said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Arabiya
3 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
Gaza civil defense says Israeli forces kill 23
Gaza's civil defense agency said Israeli forces killed at least 23 people in the war-stricken territory on Saturday, including at least three children who died when a house was struck. 'At least 23 dead and dozens of wounded were taken (to hospitals) after Israeli firing and raids' across Gaza, civil defense spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP. Among the casualties were three children who were killed in an air strike on a home in Jabalia, northern Gaza. AFP video footage from Gaza City showed relatives weeping over the bodies of children killed in nearby Jabalia. Bassal said the children were among 21 people killed in six air strikes by drones and planes across the territory. He said two other people were killed by Israeli fire while waiting for food aid in the Netzarim zone in central Gaza. The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Israeli restrictions on media in the Gaza Strip and difficulties in accessing some areas mean AFP is unable to independently verify the tolls and details provided by rescuers and witnesses. Israel launched its offensive in Gaza in October 2023 in response to a deadly attack on Israel by Palestinian militant group Hamas. After claiming victory in a 12-day war against Iran that ended with a ceasefire on June 24, the Israeli military said it would refocus on its offensive in Gaza, where Palestinian militants still hold Israeli hostages. Hamas's 2023 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures. Israel's retaliatory military campaign has killed at least 56,412 people, also mostly civilians, according to Gaza's health ministry. The United Nations considers these figures to be reliable.
Al Arabiya
4 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
Six Israelis detained for attacking soldiers in West Bank: Military
Six Israelis were detained for assaulting soldiers near a town in the occupied West Bank where clashes with Palestinians erupted earlier this week, the military said on Saturday. Soldiers went to disperse a gathering of Israelis near the central West Bank town of Kafr Malik overnight Friday to Saturday, the military said in a statement. 'Upon the arrival of the security forces, dozens of Israeli civilians hurled stones toward them and physically and verbally assaulted the soldiers, including the Battalion Commander,' it said. In addition, the civilians vandalized and damaged security forces' vehicles, and attempted to ram the security forces,' it added. 'The security forces dispersed the gathering, and six Israeli civilians were apprehended and transferred to the Israel Police for further processing.' Contacted by AFP, the Israeli military declined to say whether those arrested were residents of Israeli settlements in the territory, which has been occupied by Israel since 1967. The military referred the query to the Israeli police, which was not available to comment. In a separate incident on Wednesday, the Palestinian health ministry said three men died in Kafr Malik in an attack by settlers. AFP journalists saw several hundred people gather for the three men's funerals on Thursday. The Palestinian foreign ministry alleged 'official complicity' by Israel in Wednesday's attack, in a message on X. 'Israeli occupation forces prevented ambulance crews from reaching the wounded and obstructed civil defense teams from entering the village for several hours, allowing fires ignited by the settlers to spread and destroy dozens of homes,' it said. The Israeli military did not respond to a request by AFP to comment on those claims. A military spokesman told AFP its forces intervened on Wednesday after 'dozens of Israeli civilians set fire to property in Kafr Malik' and a 'confrontation' involving 'mutual rock-hurling' broke out between Israelis and Palestinians. Referring to action by the Palestinians, the spokesman said: 'Several terrorists fired from within Kafr Malik and hurled rocks at the forces, who opened fire toward the source of fire and the rock-hurlers.'
Arab News
5 hours ago
- Arab News
Six Israelis detained for attacking soldiers in West Bank: military
JERUSALEM: Six Israelis were detained for assaulting soldiers near a town in the occupied West Bank where clashes with Palestinians erupted earlier this week, the military said on went to disperse a gathering of Israelis near the central West Bank town of Kafr Malik overnight Friday to Saturday, the military said in a statement.'Upon the arrival of the security forces, dozens of Israeli civilians hurled stones toward them and physically and verbally assaulted the soldiers, including the Battalion Commander,' it said.'In addition, the civilians vandalized and damaged security forces' vehicles, and attempted to ram the security forces,' it added.'The security forces dispersed the gathering, and six Israeli civilians were apprehended and transferred to the Israel Police for further processing.'Contacted by AFP, the Israeli military declined to say whether those arrested were residents of Israeli settlements in the territory, which has been occupied by Israel since military referred the query to the Israeli police, which was not available to a separate incident on Wednesday, the Palestinian health ministry said three men died in Kafr Malik in an attack by journalists saw several hundred people gather for the three men's funerals on Palestinian foreign ministry alleged 'official complicity' by Israel in Wednesday's attack, in a message on X.'Israeli occupation forces prevented ambulance crews from reaching the wounded and obstructed civil defense teams from entering the village for several hours, allowing fires ignited by the settlers to spread and destroy dozens of homes,' it Israeli military did not respond to a request by AFP to comment on those claims.A military spokesman told AFP its forces intervened on Wednesday after 'dozens of Israeli civilians set fire to property in Kafr Malik' and a 'confrontation' involving 'mutual rock-hurling' broke out between Israelis and to action by the Palestinians, the spokesman said: 'Several terrorists fired from within Kafr Malik and hurled rocks at the forces, who opened fire toward the source of fire and the rock-hurlers.'Five Israelis were arrested, the military added.
