Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he informed US President Donald Trump about Israel’s planned operation against Iran but did not seek Washington’s approval, as he defended his government’s military decisions across multiple fronts in the region.
Speaking at the Federation of Local Authorities in Israel Conference, Netanyahu said Israel would act in line with what it believes is necessary for its security, even if that meant disagreeing with the President of the United States. He also defended military operations in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and Iran, saying critics who had opposed the campaigns were now questioning why they had not gone further.
Netanyahu says Israel acted independently on Iran operation
According to excerpts of his speech shared by the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office on X, Netanyahu recalled his conversations with both former US President Joe Biden and President Donald Trump.
Referring to the military operation against Iran, he said: “When I came to President Trump before Operation Rising Lion, I told him: ‘We are going into Iran, because I am not waiting for these oppressors who declare openly that they want to destroy us, and you too, by the way, I told him, but us first. I will not let that happen. Therefore, we are taking action.’ I didn’t ask for permission; I simply informed him of our plan. To my joy, he also joined toward the end with a very important action.”
Netanyahu recalls disagreement with Biden over Rafah
Netanyahu also spoke about earlier disagreements with former US President Joe Biden over Israel’s planned military operation in Rafah.
“I also told President Trump, well, two presidents, Biden first of all, when they told me ‘Do not enter Rafah.’ Do you know why they said ‘Do not enter Rafah’? Because the President of the United States said he would halt the weapons supply,” he said.
“I said I respect him very much, and he even came here at the beginning of the war, but we have no choice, we will enter – and if we must, we will fight with our fingernails. Because there are moments when you must know how to tell even the President of the United States what we stand for.”
Netanyahu also said Hezbollah remains present in Lebanon but claimed Israel continues to destroy the group’s infrastructure.
PM rejects criticism over military operations
The Israeli Prime Minister said those who had earlier opposed military action were now criticising Israel for not achieving complete success.
“But they said ‘it’s impossible.’ Don’t do it. Don’t get entangled, because Iran will come and destroy our cities and our citizens, and thousands, if not tens of thousands, will die. So the very same people who told us don’t enter Gaza, don’t enter Rafah, don’t enter Lebanon, don’t enter Syria, don’t enter Iran,” he said.
“Today, they come and tell us, ‘But you didn’t finish the job.’ They, who wanted zero, come and tell us, ‘You didn’t achieve 100%, only 80-90%.’ There is still work to do, it is not over, that is true, but who will do it? If you don’t have true leadership, not what they put in the talking points of various advertising agencies.”
Separately, Al Jazeera reported that Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors are holding talks in Washington on establishing pilot zones. Under the reported proposal, Israeli forces would withdraw from designated areas while the Lebanese Army would deploy there.