From the Liveblog of
Friday, June 13, 2025
Netanyahu says he gave order to take out Iran’s nuclear program in November 2024
Lazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter
The directive to take out Iran’s nuclear program was given in November 2024, says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a video statement, pledging to give daily video updates when possible.
“The directive came shortly after the assassination of [Hezbollah leader Hassan] Nasrallah,” he says, adding that it was clear to him that Iran would rush toward the bomb once its proxy axis was shattered by Israel.
Israel, he says, identified tangible steps Iran was taking toward weaponization, beyond just uranium enrichment.
Netanyahu set the date for the end of April 2025, he says. He points to “various reasons” it couldn’t be done then, without going into detail.
One very pressing reason might have been US President Donald Trump’s announcement in April that he would engage in direct talks with Iran over its nuclear program. Instead, the launch of the military strikes was set for this morning, he says, without explaining why he chose that day.
He also says that after Israeli strikes on Iran’s ballistic missile program last year, Tehran embarked on a program to create 300 ballistic missiles a month.
“We decided we couldn’t wait anymore. We are at midnight.”
Netanyahu claims he wanted to strike in 2011-2012, but couldn’t garner enough support. Other security officials at the time have denied this account, though.
The Times of Israel Community.