06/24/2025
Statement by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, this evening:
"Dear citizens of Israel,
In the 12 days of Operation Rising Lion, we achieved a historic victory, which will stand for generations.
We removed two existential threats: The threat of annihilation by nuclear weapons and the threat of annihilation by 20,000 ballistic missiles. Had we not acted now, the State of Israel would have soon faced the danger of annihilation.
But this did not happen because at the decisive moment, we rose up and stood like lions, and our roar shook Tehran and echoed around the world.
In the scriptures, it is said: 'By stratagems shall you make war.'
The surprise opening blow of Rising Lion will go down in the annals of Israel's wars and will be studied by every military in the world. In one strike, in one blow, we eliminated Iran's senior command, including three chiefs-of-staff and many other senior officers. And in those same moments, we eliminated Iran's leading nuclear scientists – those who held the knowledge, led the nuclear program and sought to bring upon us destruction and death.
We destroyed the main enrichment facility in Natanz, the uranium conversion plant in Isfahan and the heavy water installation in Arak. Our friend, President Trump, stood alongside us in an unprecedented manner. On his order, the US military destroyed the enrichment facility deep underground at Fordo.
We attacked dozens of installations of the Iranian nuclear program, including laboratories and factories for producing centrifuges. You certainly remember seven years ago, how in a brilliant Mossad operation, we brought to Israel the heart of Iran's secret nuclear archive. We revealed Iran's secret nuclear program for the annihilation of the State of Israel to President Trump, to the entire world and to you, citizens of Israel.
Indeed, today, now, in this operation, we completed the work and struck the entire archive. This archive concentrated within it Iran's overall knowledge for producing atomic bombs. We also did this.
For decades, I have promised you that Iran would not have nuclear weapons. And indeed, in all of the swift actions that our soldiers carried out, we sent Iran's nuclear project to oblivion. And if anyone in Iran tries to rebuild this project – we will act with the same determination and the same force to cut off any such attempt. I reiterate: Iran will not have nuclear weapons.
With the same force and determination, we destroyed Iran's industry for producing ballistic missiles. We destroyed dozens of missile production factories. We struck hard at their stock of missiles. We destroyed most of their launchers. In many cases, we destroyed them minutes before they could launch their missiles of death at Israel. Iran's malicious intention, to threaten – within a few years – the existence of Israel with tens of thousands of ballistic missiles – this threat has also been removed.
Regarding the Iranian regime, we struck crushing blows at this wicked regime. We eliminated many senior commanders. We destroyed command centers. We attacked Revolutionary Guards bases. We attacked Basij bases. We struck the symbols of the regime. Today, this morning, a few hours before the ceasefire, we struck the ayatollahs' regime with the hardest blow of all since the start of the war, with the hardest blow in its history. We eliminated hundreds of regime operatives in a crushing attack, the most crushing that Tehran has seen in the past 50 years.
Citizens of Israel, on your behalf, I thank my friend, President Trump, and the US, for their part in defending Israel and in removing the Iranian nuclear threat. The US decision to join the campaign, not only on the defensive side, but also on the offensive side, was historic. It has never happened before. This was the fruit of a diplomatic effort that I led, together with Minister Dermer, with President Trump and his team. I must tell you Israel has never had as great a friend in the White House, and I thank him very much for the joint work. It has major implications for Israel's national security, for the security of each and every one of you, and for your children and grand-children, and for the face of the Middle East.
Citizens of Israel, on October 7, we were in the abyss. We suffered the worst disaster in the history of the state. But thanks to the joint forces of the Government, the security services and you, the people, we recovered and returned fire. Approximately 20 months later, we took control of the skies over Iran and exacted an unprecedented price, which it never imagined it would have to pay.
And yet, despite our tremendous achievements, we are not riding the waves of euphoria. We are neither overconfident nor complacent – the opposite in fact. We have no intention of taking our foot off the pedal. We must complete the campaign against the Iranian axis, defeat Hamas and bring about the release of all our hostages, both the living and the deceased.
To the families of the hostages, I say: We have not ceased for a moment, even a single one, including during this war, from our efforts to return home all of our hostages. Again: Both the living and the deceased. And we will not relent from this sacred mission until it is complete.
And to the bereaved families, I say: Your dear ones, our heroes, did not fall in vain – because it is their heroism and sacrifice that made it possible to dismantle the Iranian axis. Without the immense achievements in Gaza, in Lebanon, in Syria, and against the terrorism in Judea and Samaria, we would not have been able to reach Tehran.
With the destruction of the Iranian axis of evil, we will open a path of peace and prosperity for the nations of the region, and I say to you, even beyond the nations of the region. We are already working on that, vigorously, and the time will also come to reveal our activity. We will compensate, with a generous hand, everyone who has suffered damages, and bring the Israeli economy to new heights. This is already happening.
Citizens of Israel,
We have paid heavy prices on the home front during this operation. We embrace the families of the fallen with infinite love. We all wish a full recovery to all who were injured, in body and soul, as we do for all those injured in this campaign since October 7.
In recent days, I have visited several of the cities that suffered considerable destruction by Iranian missiles. Many homes were damaged, and as I promised the residents, we will build them anew.
Citizens of Israel,
I wish to express, on your behalf, the deepest gratitude to IDF Chief-of-Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir; to the commanders and the fighters of the IDF; to Mossad Director David Barnea and the fighters of the Mossad; to Air Force Commander Maj.-Gen. Tomer Bar; to our brave combat pilots – what a wonderful job they have done; to the dedicated technical ground crews; to the Director of Military Intelligence, Maj.-Gen. Shlomi Binder and the intelligence personnel, who revealed the enemy’s secrets with amazing creativity; to the Director of the Operations Directorate, Maj.-Gen. Oded Basyuk, for driving the campaign; to my Military Secretary, Maj.-Gen. Roman Gofman; to the Home Front Command; to the Israeli Police; to the fire, medical and rescue Services, who have saved many lives.
And naturally, I wish to express gratitude to Defense Minister Israel Katz, and all of the government ministers. They all stood jointly behind the historic decision, and acted, each in their own purview. Each and every one of them rose to the occasion.
And beyond all that, I wish to express gratitude to you, citizens of Israel. This is a moment of national pride, a moment of unity, a moment when every citizen in Israel can stand proudly and say: Together we did the unimaginable.
The nation rose as a lion. Am Israel Chai ['the People of Israel live']. And with G-d’s help – the eternal people will ensure the eternity of Israel."
