Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu issued a recorded address tonight, declaring that Israel has already secured major gains in its campaign against Iran, even as a ceasefire remains in place and fighting with Hezbollah continues.

“The campaign is not yet over, but it is already clear that we have achieved historic accomplishments,” Netanyahu said. “I want to remind everyone where we were: Iran tried to encircle Israel in a stranglehold. They sought to choke us, and now we are choking them. They threatened our destruction, and now they are fighting to survive.”

Netanyahu described a series of actions taken under his leadership to counter Iran’s progress, including operations that were not publicly disclosed at the time, emphasizing that Israel took steps others could not see.

“We hit them, [but] we have more to do. I approved all sorts of actions, most of them covert, in order to delay Iran, and we did delay them, but the world didn’t hear it. Many said, ‘It’s not so bad. It wouldn’t even be that terrible if Iran had nuclear weapons.’ I heard those voices not only abroad but also within Israel. And I, as the Prime Minister of Israel, only Jewish state, could not accept that.”

He pointed to a turning point during a major military operation, highlighting what he described as a breakthrough moment when Israeli forces directly struck inside Iran.

“The biggest change was made on the evening of Operation Rising Lion, when I informed you that our daring pilots were flying in Iranian skies and striking targets all across Iran. We were the first to break the barrier of fear and act inside Iran itself.”

Netanyahu reflected on the emotional impact of that moment, noting both his own reaction and what he believed was felt across the country.

“I remember the feeling I had the emotion, the pride, the goosebumps. I know that you all experienced it. But if I had told you a year ago that our pilots would be flying over Iran, who would have believed it?”

He concluded by asserting that Israel’s actions eliminated what he described as an immediate existential threat, saying the country had successfully blocked Iran’s path to nuclear weapons.

“We had to remove two existential threats. Had we not launched these two operations, Iran would already have nuclear bombs. We have prevented that existential danger.”