Netanyahu says promise to destroy Iran's nuclear programme 'fulfilled'

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that his promise to destroy Iran's nuclear facilities had been "fulfilled" following strikes carried out "in perfect coordination" between the Israeli and US militaries.
The level of damage to the nuclear sites is not immediately clear.
"From the beginning of the operation, I promised you that Iran's nuclear facilities would be destroyed, one way or another. This promise has been fulfilled," Netanyahu said in a video message posted to social media.
"A short while ago, in perfect coordination between me and President Trump, and in perfect operational coordination between the [Israeli forces] and the US military, the United States attacked Iran's three nuclear facilities Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan," he added.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Sharjah 24

44 minutes ago

• Sharjah 24

Iran vows retaliation after US strikes on nuclear sites

US President Donald Trump insisted the attack had "obliterated" Iran's nuclear capabilities, but other officials said it was too soon to determine how significantly Tehran's nuclear programme had been impacted. As the world awaited Iran's reply, supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called the bombing campaign Israel launched on June 13 "a big mistake". "The Zionist enemy... is being punished right now," Khamenei wrote on social media. Sirens sounded across Israel and Iran early Monday as the arch enemies exchanged their latest round of fire. The Israeli army said it was intercepting missiles from Iran, while Iranian state media Fars said the air defence system was working to counter a drone attack. In a sign of possible nervousness about the conflict spilling into a wider regional war, oil prices jumped by more than four percent in early trading on Monday. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged China to help deter Iran from shutting down the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial trade route through which one-fifth of global oil output passes. With Iran threatening US bases in the Middle East, the State Department issued a worldwide alert cautioning Americans abroad. "The conflict between Israel and Iran has resulted in disruptions to travel and periodic closure of airspace across the Middle East. There is the potential for demonstrations against US citizens and interests abroad," the department's security alert said. It made no mention of the US strikes on a key underground uranium enrichment site at Fordo, along with nuclear facilities in Isfahan and Natanz. Regime change In central Tehran on Sunday, protesters waved flags and chanted slogans against US and Israeli attacks. In the province of Semnan east of the capital, 46-year-old housewife Samireh told AFP she was "truly shocked" by the strikes. "Semnan province is very far from the nuclear facilities targeted, but I'm very concerned for the people who live near," she said. Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said the US strikes revealed Washington was "behind" Israel's campaign against the Islamic republic and vowed a response. After the Pentagon stressed that the goal of American intervention was not to topple the Iranian government, Trump openly toyed with the idea. "It's not politically correct to use the term, 'Regime Change,' Trump posted on his Truth Social platform. "But if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn't there be a Regime change??? MIGA!!!" Hours later he doubled down on emphasising the success of his strikes. "Monumental Damage was done to all Nuclear sites in Iran, as shown by satellite images. Obliteration is an accurate term!" Trump wrote, without sharing the images he was referencing. "The biggest damage took place far below ground level. Bullseye!!!" he added. At a Pentagon press briefing earlier in the day, top US general Dan Caine said that while it would be "way too early" for him to determine the level of destruction, "initial battle damage assessments indicate that all three sites sustained extremely severe damage." Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, meanwhile, said his country's bombardments will "finish" once the stated objectives of destroying Iran's nuclear and missile capabilities have been achieved. "We are very, very close to completing them," he told reporters. Grave consequences In response to the US attack, which used over a dozen massive "bunker buster" bombs, Iran's armed forces targeted sites in Israel including Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv, with at least 23 people wounded. Nine members of the Revolutionary Guards were killed Sunday in Israeli attacks on central Iran, local media reported, while three people were killed after an ambulance was struck. Israeli strikes on Iran have killed more than 400 people, Iran's health ministry said. Iran's attacks on Israel have killed 24 people, according to official figures. Rafael Grossi, director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), told an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council that craters were visible at the Fordo facility, but it had not been possible to assess the underground damage. He added that "armed attacks on nuclear facilities should never take place and could result in radioactive releases with grave consequences within and beyond the boundaries of the State which has been attacked." The United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Oman, which had been mediating Iran-US nuclear talks, criticised the US strikes and called for de-escalation, while France, Germany and Britain called on Tehran "not to take any further action that could destabilise the region." North Korea, which is also at odds with Washington over its own nuclear weapons, condemned the US strikes as a violation of the United Nations charter. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused the United States of deciding to "blow up" nuclear diplomacy with its intervention in the war. He headed to Moscow on Sunday for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. On Sunday, Russia, China and Pakistan circulated a draft resolution with other Security Council members that calls for an "immediate ceasefire" in Iran.

The National

an hour ago

• The National

UAE's Gargash condemns Israeli minister's call for Gulf to fund war on Iran

Dr Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to UAE President Sheikh Mohamed, on Monday criticised ultra-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and his call for Gulf funding for Israel's war on Iran. "The audacity of Israeli Finance Minister Smotrich has reached the point of calling for Gulf (and German, French, and British) funding for Israel's war on Iran," he said in a post on X. The UAE, as well as other Gulf states, have condemned Israeli strikes on Iran that began last week. "Such a proposal is nothing but moral bankruptcy from an extremist who fails to grasp the consequences of escalation," Mr Gargash said. The UAE has expressed concern over the tensions in the region and Israeli as well as US attacks on Iranian nuclear sites. President Sheikh Mohamed has also led consultations aimed at de-escalation in the region and has held talks with regional leaders. The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday stressed the importance of prioritising diplomacy and dialogue to resolve disputes in ways that 'promote stability, prosperity and justice'. According to estimates by The Wall Street Journal, war with Iran is costing Israel hundreds of millions of dollars a day, with the most expensive burden being the interception of missiles. Experts suggest the air war is far more expensive than Gaza or the war with Hezbollah. Despite the cost, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has shown no indication of stopping before Israel has achieved all its goals, which he said it was "very close" to doing.

TAG 91.1

an hour ago

• TAG 91.1

Gargash slams Israeli official for calling on Gulf to fund war with Iran

The diplomatic advisor to the UAE President, Anwar Gargash, on Monday lambasted Israel's Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich for calling on Gulf states to fund Israel's war on Iran. Posting on social media, Gargash said: "Israeli Finance Minister Smotrich's brazenness reached the point of calling for Gulf (and German, French, and British) funding for Israel's war on Iran." "Such a proposal is nothing but the moral bankruptcy of an extremist who does not understand the consequences of escalation," he added. Gargash also stressed the Gulf's repeated condemnation of the attack and calls for a diplomatic solution. Smotrich, alongside Israel's National Security Minster Itamar Ben-Gvir, were subject to rare sanctions by the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Norway earlier this month. The two hardline officials were accused of instigating settler expansion and violence in the occupied West Bank. The move by the five countries was welcomed by the Arab League, which includes the UAE, saying the move is a step towards accountability for "instigated violence" and "contributing to settler attacks on Palestinians".