Iran’s “terrorist regime” is an “existential threat,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Saturday as his country went into lockdown amid retaliatory strikes from Iran.
“This murderous, terrorist regime must not be allowed to arm itself with nuclear weapons that would enable it to threaten all of humanity,” he said in an address to the Israeli people.
“Our joint action will create the conditions for the brave Iranian people to take their destiny into their own hands,” he said.
Neganyahu, who spoke following joint airstrikes with the US targeting Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Masoud Pazeshkian, accused Iran’s leaders of trying to “buy time” through negotiations.
Air raid sirens sounded across Israel and there were reports of at least one explosion in Tel Aviv, as the nation braced for an onslaught, thought casualties were not immediately known.
The Israeli leader’s address came as the Israeli Defense Forces said it had taken out “hundreds” of Iranian military targets, including missile launchers in western Iran.
The joint operation, dubbed “Operation Roaring Lion,” was intended to “thoroughly degrade the Iranian terrorist regime and to remove existential threats to Israel over time,” the IDF posted on X.
The military developed it’s plan over months and timed the strikes for “the moment when senior regime officials would convene,” according to the Times of Israel.
Meanwhile, the Iranian army said early Saturday it had launched “dozens” of attack drones against Israel, which would take several hours to reach their target. In the past, the majority of such weapons were intercepted prior to reaching the Israel border, the outlet said.
The prime minister, who met with President Trump at the White House Feb. 11th and also coordinated with the US during its 12-day war with Iran in June, spoke as Israel called up around 70,000 reservists.
He said the “tyrants in Iran” have been “plotting to rebuild their nuclear and missile capabilities.”
Iran appears to have targeted much of its firepower early on at US military assets in the region, lashing out at targets in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Qatar, and Bahrain, where a missile struck a US Navy base.
Israelis abroad were urged to take precautions.
“The escalation with Iran increases the likelihood that the Iranian regime will intensify efforts to carry out terrorist attacks abroad against Israeli/Jewish targets, starting immediately,” the Israeli National Security Council said.
“In addition, and based on past experience, the motivation to harm Israelis abroad may also increase among other terrorist elements, alongside local initiatives (including lone attackers).”
