Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that Iran no longer has the capacity to enrich uranium or produce ballistic missiles, following nearly three weeks of sustained US-Israeli airstrikes targeting the country’s military and industrial infrastructure.
Speaking at a news conference, Netanyahu described the campaign as a decisive success, asserting that Iran’s strategic capabilities were being systematically dismantled. “We are winning, and Iran is being decimated,” he said, adding that missile and drone stockpiles were being heavily degraded and would ultimately be destroyed.
He emphasized that current operations are focused on eliminating production facilities tied to both missile systems and nuclear development. “What we’re destroying now are the factories that produce the components to make these missiles and to make the nuclear weapons that they’re trying to produce,” he said.
However, Netanyahu did not provide evidence to support his claim that Iran has entirely lost its ability to enrich uranium an assertion that, if confirmed, would mark a major shift in the strategic balance of the conflict.
The war, now approaching its third week, began after diplomatic efforts surrounding Iran’s nuclear program collapsed, followed by coordinated US-Israeli airstrikes launched on February 28. Since then, Iran has retaliated with missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and, at times, Gulf states, while also disrupting maritime traffic through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.
Despite the intensity of the conflict, Netanyahu said it remains unclear whether internal unrest in Iran could lead to broader political upheaval. “It’s up to the Iranian people to choose the moment and rise to the moment,” he said, suggesting that change ultimately depends on domestic dynamics.
While the conflict has so far been dominated by aerial operations, Netanyahu indicated that a potential ground component remains under consideration. “There are many possibilities for this ground component,” he said, without offering further details.
The Israeli leader also pointed to what he described as growing instability within Iran’s leadership, claiming to see “cracks” at the highest levels of power. He noted that Iran’s newly installed supreme leadership has yet to make a public appearance, raising questions about internal cohesion.
“I’m not sure who’s running Iran right now,” Netanyahu said, referring to reports of leadership uncertainty and internal competition. “We’re seeing cracks, and we’re trying to propagate them as fast as we can—not only in the top command, but also in the field.”
Netanyahu rejected suggestions that Israel had drawn the United States into the conflict, instead emphasizing Washington’s independent decision-making. Referring to Donald Trump, he said, “Does anyone really think that someone can tell the president what to do?”
He expressed confidence that the war could conclude sooner than many expect, though ongoing hostilities and regional spillover continue to raise concerns about a prolonged and wider conflict.
