Jerusalem/Tel Aviv, 12 April (H.S.): In a resolute video statement delivered on Saturday night local time, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu articulated the strategic imperatives and resounding successes of Israel's multifaceted military operations targeting Iran and its proxies.

Speaking against a backdrop map delineating Iran alongside its regional allies such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza—Netanyahu declared with unyielding conviction: They wanted to strangle us, and we are strangling them. This vivid metaphor encapsulated Israel's proactive posture, underscoring that while historic achievements had been secured, the campaign is not over—we still have more to do.

Netanyahu meticulously outlined Israel's precision strikes, which have ostensibly eroded Iran's military and economic sinews to their nadir since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. He emphasized the depletion of Iran's missile stockpiles, alongside the systematic neutralization of critical infrastructure: We had a goal to weaken the Iranian regime to its lowest level since 1979. I am listing the many targets we eliminated—the steel industry, gas production, fuels, bridges, and railways.

Netanyahu further asserted that Iran, riven by internal conflicts among the leadership, is now begging for a ceasefire, citing leaked Tehran dispatches indicating leadership schisms and public unrest in Isfahan following strikes.

Focusing on existential imperatives, Netanyahu justified the campaign as a preemptive excision of two existential threats: Iran's inexorable march toward nuclear weaponry and unchecked ballistic missile proliferation. Iran was very close to nuclear weapons, he stated, aligning with assessments from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA, March 2026 quarterly report), which flagged Iran's uranium enrichment to 83.7% purity—perilously near weapons-grade levels. Israel, per Netanyahu, executed targeted eliminations: We eliminated nuclear scientists and struck nuclear facilities, reducing Tehran's capabilities.

Netanyahu's address extended beyond Iran, signaling a broader reconfiguration of Middle Eastern fault lines. He revealed overtures from Lebanon for direct peace talks, greenlit post a pivotal call with US President Donald Trump amid fears that Hezbollah escalations could unravel the fragile Iran ceasefire.

Lebanon had reached out several times in recent weeks to begin direct peace talks, Netanyahu noted, conditioning accord on Hezbollah's disarmament and a real peace agreement that will last for generations.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar