Netanyahu: Hostage talks moving forward alongside Iran war; Jews and Arabs ‘in this battle together’

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says that “Tehran is burning” as Israel continues its mission to eliminate “the dual threat” of Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities, in a daily video update from the Prime Minister’s Office.

The premier says that for four decades, he identified that “the greatest danger to Israel’s existence would be the Islamist regime of the ayatollahs… obtaining nuclear weapons.” His warnings, he said, were dismissed as “political spin,” and he often faced opposition, including from the US, as Iran was allowed to advance its nuclear ambitions.

Netanyahu says Iran’s “axis of evil” led to the Hamas terror group’s October 7, 2023, attack, which prompted the ongoing war in Gaza, and that he “will not give up” on any of the remaining hostages in the Strip.

“I will not rest until we bring them all home. Two days ago, I instructed that negotiations be advanced, because I’ve identified an opening,” he says, without providing further details.

Israel will achieve “both the elimination of Hamas and the release of the hostages,” he continues, saying the campaign against Iran is taking place “in parallel” to these aims.

Netanyahu condemns Israelis who celebrated the death of four Arab Israelis killed in the Iranian missile strike on the city of Tamra this morning, saying he “reject[s] this in the strongest terms.”

“The missile does not distinguish — it hits both Jews and Arabs. They are coming to destroy all of us. We are brothers. We are in this battle together…this is all of our fight. We are all standing together, Jews, Arabs, all as one,” he says.

“With persistence, determination, and courage — we will win. With God’s help, we will stand together — and we will win together,” Netanyahu concludes.