Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a speech at the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, in Jerusalem, on February 15, 2026. Archived photo Ronen Zvulun/Reuters Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gestures as he speaks during the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organisations, in Jerusalem, February 15, 2026. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun
Speaking at his first press conference since the start of the regional war — launched alongside the U.S. against the Iran — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that Israel’s goals were to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and destroy its ballistic missile program, while adding a broader political objective of bringing down the regime.
“Our objectives are to prevent Iranians from retaining the capability to build nuclear weapons and to destroy their ballistic missile capabilities,” he said. “I have added a third goal, which is to create the means for the Iranian people to bring down this regime.”
Referring to Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, whose first statement was broadcast Thursday by a television anchor in Tehran, Netanyahu said: “We eliminated the former tyrant [his father, Ali Khamenei] and the new tyrant, the puppet of the Revolutionary Guard, cannot show his face in public.”
Asked about the future of Mojtaba Khamenei and Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem, Netanyahu said: “I wouldn’t take out any life insurance on Khamenei and Qassem,” declining to elaborate on possible assassinations against them.
“We are living through historic days for the State of Israel,” the prime minister said, adding that Israel was “crushing Iran and Hezbollah.” He also argued that both Iran and Hezbollah no longer posed the same level of threat as they did before.
Netanyahu also said he speaks daily with U.S. President Donald Trump and described their conversations as frank and open.
He also said that it would be preferable for the Lebanese government to deal with Hezbollah itself rather than leave the task to Israel.
“I told the Lebanese government that ‘you’re playing with fire if you let Hezbollah act,’” Netanyahu said. “But if they don’t [deal with Hezbollah], we will. How? On the ground or otherwise — I won’t give details. But Hezbollah will pay a heavy price, and it would be better if the Lebanese government handled it.”
Shortly after the press conference, air raid sirens sounded in Tel Aviv and central Israel as Iranian missiles were launched toward the country. One missile reportedly landed in an open area in central Israel without causing casualties, according to the Israeli military, cited by the daily Haaretz.
