Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, stated that the current ceasefire does not represent the end of the military campaign and that the country still intends to achieve new objectives, including the possibility of resuming fighting. “The ceasefire is not the end, but a stage on the path to achieving all our objectives,” he said.
In a statement on Wednesday afternoon, Netanyahu declared that Israel is “ready to return to fight at any moment”, adding that the country keeps “its finger on the trigger”.
According to him, the two-week temporary truce between the United States and Iran was established in coordination with Israel and comes at a time when Tehran would be “weaker than ever”, while Israel would be “stronger than ever”.
The prime minister stated that recent advances include attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities, factories, logistics infrastructure and missile production capabilities, as well as actions against the regime’s leadership and repressive structures. “We removed an existential threat against Israel and the free world, we shook the foundations of the Iranian regime,” he said, adding that, without the offensive, Iran would already have nuclear weapons and thousands of missiles.
Netanyahu also highlighted that Iran would have relaxed conditions for negotiations, including the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz without prior demands, which, according to him, reflects the military pressure suffered by Tehran.
The prime minister also reiterated that the ceasefire agreement does not include Hezbollah, signaling continuity of operations in Lebanon. “We continue to attack the group with force,” he said, mentioning recent offensives against dozens of targets. He said that Israel has created security zones beyond its borders and that it will continue to work to protect residents of the north of the country.
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The statements come amid escalating regional tensions, after Iranian authorities accused Israel of violating the truce and promised a response, while the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) spoke of a “heavy response” to attacks in Lebanon.
Netanyahu also highlighted the alliance with the United States, classifying the cooperation as “historic” and stating that the joint offensive is “changing the face of the Middle East”. “We are the side that takes the initiative, the side that fights and the side that will win”, he concluded.
