Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel has achieved more than half of its war objectives in Iran, with the current focus on Tehran’s enriched uranium stockpile, according to an interview with Newsmax.
“We’re beyond the halfway point in terms of mission success,” Netanyahu said Monday in the interview with Newsmax CEO Christopher Ruddy, offering a confident assessment of the joint U.S.-Israel campaign.
Netanyahu said Israel and the United States have made significant progress in degrading Iran’s military, nuclear and industrial capabilities, including strikes on missile systems, weapons production sites and personnel tied to the nuclear program.
“We’ve already degraded their missile capabilities, destroyed factories, and eliminated key nuclear scientists,” he said, adding that the campaign has set back Iran’s ambitions significantly.
He said the central objective remains preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them.
“They are pursuing nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them to American cities,” Netanyahu said. “That’s what this war is about — preventing that outcome.”
Netanyahu said the current phase of the operation is focused on securing or removing Iran’s enriched uranium, which he described as a critical step in halting its nuclear program. He added that U.S. President Donald Trump has called for the material to be removed from Iran, potentially under international supervision.
He did not provide a timeline for the end of the conflict but said momentum remains in favor of Israel and the United States.
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“Iran is coming out weaker; we’re coming out stronger,” Netanyahu said, also pointing to signs of internal instability in Iran.
Defense analysts say recent strikes have disrupted parts of Iran’s infrastructure, while warning Tehran retains the ability to respond through proxy forces and cyber operations.
Netanyahu also outlined longer-term strategic considerations, including efforts to reduce reliance on key regional energy routes.
“Long-term solutions include rerouting energy pipelines westward — across Saudi Arabia to the Red Sea and Mediterranean — bypassing Iran’s geographic choke point,” he said in the interview.
Addressing Iran’s missile capabilities, Netanyahu said their growing range underscores the urgency of the campaign.
Referring to a reported attempted strike near Diego Garcia, about 2,500 miles (4,000 kilometers) from Iran, Netanyahu said the development shows Iran is approaching longer-range capabilities.
“That puts much of Europe within range,” he said.
Netanyahu warned that Western leaders have long underestimated Iran’s nuclear and missile programs, contributing to the current situation.
“The question is whether the West will wake up,” he said.
He praised Trump for recognizing the threat early and taking action, including withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers.
“President Trump didn’t ignore it,” Netanyahu said.
Netanyahu said Iran’s ambitions extend beyond the region and pose a broader international threat.
“This is not just Israel’s problem,” he said, adding that the goal remains to ensure Iran cannot threaten Israel, the United States or their allies with nuclear weapons.
“We’re making steady progress,” Netanyahu said.