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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday that Israeli air forces had dealt “serious damage” to Iranian nuclear facilities and claimed that Iranian leaders are “packing their bags” in the face of the ongoing military campaign.
In a televised address, Netanyahu threatened to escalate the attacks further, delivering a direct warning to Tehran.
“In the very near future you will see Israeli Air Force jets over the skies of Tehran, we will strike every site and every target of the Ayatollah’s regime, and what they have felt until now is nothing compared to what they will feel under the sway of our forces in the coming days,” he stated.
“I talk to (world) leaders every day. And they express, I would say, tremendous admiration for both the resolve and determination of the state of Israel and the great achievements of our fighters, and there is reason to be truly proud of them and you should be proud of yourselves as well. We are in a fateful battle for our existence. We will fight until we achieve victory,” Netanyahu concluded.
Israeli fighter jets have taken off for Tehran
Right after this speech, Israeli media reported that squadrons of Israeli fighter jets had taken off from their bases en route to Iran.
The defiant speech comes amid conflicting reports about the extent of the damage. Israeli military officials said that strikes on nuclear sites in Natanz and Isfahan were able to damage them “significantly.” However, Iran stated that the impact is limited, while still acknowledging the deaths of nine experts in the attacks.
Netanyahu justified the operation by claiming that if Israel hadn’t acted, Tehran was planning to give nuclear weapons to its “terrorist proxies.” Adding that the operation has “clear support” from US President Donald Trump, Netanyahu pledged to continue the attacks.
The escalating conflict has directly derailed planned nuclear talks between the United States and Iran. The crucial negotiations, which were set to begin in Oman on Sunday, have been cancelled, with Iranian officials calling the dialogue “meaningless” in light of the Israeli strikes.