Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a stark warning to Iran on Friday, declaring that any attempt to close the Strait of Hormuz would amount to blackmail against the international community and would not succeed. He combined this warning with a broader military assessment, declaring that Iran had lost its uranium enrichment and ballistic missile capabilities after twenty days of war. Netanyahu also denied Israeli responsibility for US involvement in the conflict.
The prime minister spoke about the Trump-Israel partnership with clarity and detail. He called it the most closely coordinated alliance between two leaders he had witnessed, while framing Trump as the senior partner and himself as a committed ally. Netanyahu disclosed that Trump had brought his own independent and sophisticated analysis of the Iranian nuclear threat to their conversations, reflecting a genuine meeting of strategic minds.
Netanyahu confirmed Israel had acted alone in striking the South Pars gas complex at Asaluyeh. He also disclosed Trump’s personal request to pause further strikes on Iranian gas infrastructure, presenting the exchange as a natural feature of a close and transparent alliance. Netanyahu maintained that Israel’s military independence had not been restricted by diplomatic coordination.
On the alternative to Hormuz, Netanyahu proposed pipeline routes from the Arabian Peninsula to Israeli and Mediterranean ports. He argued this would create lasting resilience against Iranian maritime pressure tactics. Netanyahu framed the infrastructure plan as a central element of the post-conflict regional order he hoped to help build.
Netanyahu closed with an analysis of Iran’s internal confusion, noting the anticipated new supreme leader had not appeared publicly during the conflict. He admitted uncertainty about who was governing Iran and pointed to visible competition among those seeking power in Tehran. Netanyahu concluded that this political chaos, combined with military losses, was pushing the war toward an earlier-than-expected end.