PM: Israel hit Iran’s air defense, missile production capabilities in ‘precise and powerful’ strike

Israel hit hard Iran’s air defense capabilities and its ability to produce missiles that threaten the country, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says at the official memorial ceremony for Israeli soldiers who fell on October 7 and in the subsequent war.

Saturday’s strikes followed a systematic, months-long campaign to “cut the arms of the Iranian octopus, Hezbollah and Hamas,” he says. “Two days ago, we struck the head of the octopus, the Iranian regime.”

Addressing the Iranian people, Netanyahu says “our fight is not against you,” but rather against the regime that oppresses them and threatens the region.

“The regime must understand one simple thing,” he continues, “whoever harms us, we will harm them.”

The strike in Iran was “precise and powerful, and achieved all of its goals,” he says.

Netanyahu thanks the IDF chief of staff, Mossad chief, head of IDF military intelligence and the IAF commander, but not his frequent political rival Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

He also thanks the US “for the close coordination and support.”

Netanyahu says the return of living and dead hostages is a “holy mission.”