Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the Israeli public in his daily update on Friday and provided further details on the ongoing Operation Rising Lion against Iran’s nuclear program.
“This wasn't really planned ‘now,’” he said. “This directive was issued to the top security leadership over six months ago—in November 2024. I ordered the elimination of Iran’s nuclear program.”
Netanyahu said the directive came shortly after the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and reflected a clear understanding that the collapse of the Iran-led axis—once seen as the foundation of Israel’s destruction—would push Tehran to rapidly advance its nuclear ambitions. “That’s exactly what happened,” he said.
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He revealed the operation was originally scheduled for late April 2025, but various circumstances prevented it from being executed on that exact date. “The final date was determined based on IDF recommendations and consultations with the chief of staff and defense minister,” Netanyahu added.
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Footage of IDF strikes against Iranian missile launchers
(Video: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)
“This wasn’t about minor issues—it was a critical decision. I’ve said it before: if Iran gets nuclear weapons, we simply won’t be here.” In addition to the nuclear threat, Netanyahu cited Iran’s ballistic missile program as a major factor in the decision to strike.
“They were accelerating production, aiming to build a system capable of producing 300 ballistic missiles a month. That means 10,000 missiles in three years, 20,000 in six—each carrying a ton of explosives. A single missile is like dropping a bus full of explosives on Israeli cities. That, too, is an existential threat.”