Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu came forward with a call for the Iranian people to unite and stand up against an “evil and oppressive regime.” He addressed the Iranian people on Saturday and announced that Israel’s ongoing military campaign, ‘Operation Rising Lion,’ aims to eliminate the nuclear and ballistic missile threat Israel faces. Netanyahu highlighted that his country has eliminated top military commanders, senior nuclear scientists, and a large portion of Iran’s missile arsenal. He emphasized that Israel and Iran have been great enemies since ancient times and that Israel’s objectives are to establish freedom and allow the Iranian people to voice their concerns.
Israel declared the start of a large-scale military campaign, Operation Rising Lion, to dismantle what Netanyahu identified as an existential threat posed by Iran’s nuclear and missile programs. Netanyahu publicly announced Israel’s targeted strikes against high-value Iranian targets in a decisive first strike. He accused Iran of producing enough enriched uranium to create multiple atomic bombs and warned Tehran that it could develop a nuclear weapon within months.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei echoed Israel’s stance by stating that Iran’s armed forces were ready to confront Israel. Khamenei emphasized that the country’s military is supported by officials and people, and that Iran will respond strongly to any action taken against them by the Zionist regime.
