Netanyahu lays out key Israeli achievements in taking out Iranian leadership, scientists, nuclear sites and missiles

Lazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gives a press conference on June 16, 2025. (Screencapture/GPO)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gives a press conference on June 16, 2025. (Screencapture/GPO)

Speaking at a prerecorded online press conference, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lays out the achievements thus far in the campaign against Iran’s nuclear and missile programs.

“So far, we’ve killed 10” senior nuclear scientists, he says. “Our arm is still outstretched. There are a few; we will get to them.”

Israel delivered “an extremely severe strike” to the Natanz uranium enrichment site, he says. “We destroyed factories for creating centrifuges.”

“We are continuing to destroy nuclear targets systematically,” he says.

Netanyahu then moves to Iran’s ballistic missiles, reading from a list in his hand. “We struck and continue to strike production factories, one after the next,” he says, adding that Israel has taken out “hundreds of ballistic missiles.”

He adds that Israel is destroying missile launchers “one by one.”

“We eliminated Iran’s security leadership, including three chiefs of staff,” Netanyahu continues.

“We are eliminating them one by one,” he says.

“Israel controls Tehran’s skies… We paved an air highway to Tehran,” says Netanyahu.

Israel “simply eliminated” the air defense network in western Iran and other places in the country, boasts Netanyahu.

Half of Iran’s UAVs were also destroyed by Israel, according to the prime minister, and Israel struck their key radar systems.

Israel hit regime sites, headquarters, the government TV network, “and other sites that you will hear about soon,” he says.

“We are evacuating the population,” he continues, “and the population is leaving.”

“We are on the way to victory,” he promises, adding that “Iran understands this as well.”

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