Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had succeeded in striking Iran’s nuclear capabilities twice, stressing that his country would continue efforts to prevent Tehran from rebuilding its nuclear program and developing a nuclear weapon.
In a recorded address, Netanyahu said US President Donald Trump had assessed that Iran was seeking to restore its ability to develop a nuclear weapon, describing the assessment as consistent with Israel’s position. He reiterated that Iran would not be allowed to acquire such a weapon during his tenure as prime minister and pledged to continue targeting what he described as the “Iranian axis.”
On the situation in southern Lebanon, Netanyahu said Israeli forces had targeted Hezbollah positions and infrastructure in the Shuqeif mountain range before expanding their operations toward the Ali al-Taher mountain range.
Speaking in a joint statement with Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, Netanyahu said the military had destroyed Hezbollah’s underground facilities and infrastructure in the area, arguing that the operations had helped complete arrangements for the security zone in southern Lebanon.
Meanwhile, Israel’s Channel 15 quoted a senior military official as warning that any Iranian intervention in developments in Lebanon would be met with what he called a “powerful strike.” The Israeli military also said it planned to carry out airstrikes and demolition operations in the coming hours, with explosions potentially audible across parts of the Upper Galilee, the Hula Valley and the Golan Heights.
The developments come amid continued tensions along the Lebanon-Israel border. The escalation began on March 2 following rocket fire toward northern Israel, followed by Israeli ground operations in several border towns. A ceasefire was announced on June 20, leading to a reduction in military activity in southern Lebanon.
