From the Liveblog of
Friday, June 13, 2025
PM says Israel destroyed Iran’s Natanz nuclear site and that Tehran’s response will come
Lazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter
Iran will strike back, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promises: “It will come.”
“I expect an attack against us, ” he says in a video statement. “It could be very severe attacks, in waves.”
Netanyahu says Israel is working to reduce the price the country will have to pay, without going into details. He warns citizens not to “go into euphoria,” and to listen to instructions from authorities.
He calls the opening strikes “very successful,” which hit a significant part of the Iranian military general staff and the leading nuclear scientists.
Israel destroyed the Natanz plant, he says.
There were doubts about Israel’s capabilities and about the price Israel would pay, he says.
He praises the “amazing work” from the IDF and Mossad to remove any doubts about Israel’s capabilities.
On the question of US support, Netanyahu says he hoped in cabinet meetings that Washington would back Israel, “but we have no choice.”
“If we don’t attack, then it’s 100% that we will die,” he argues.
“So even if it’s not perfect, we have to do it, because we have to change the direction of Iran’s military build-up, both its ballistic weapons and nuclear weapons.”
“US support, or at least US non-opposition, is something that is extremely desirable,” he continues.
He and Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer secured US backing in meetings with their US partners, some of which remain secret, he says.
Netanyahu says he updated Washington ahead of time, and he doesn’t know what Trump will decide to do now.
“I’ll leave it to America to set out its stance,” he says. “What they do now? I’ll leave that to President Trump.’ he notes that Trump has specified that Iran cannot have nuclear weapons and cannot have uranium enrichment. The US, he says, will determine how to realize that policy.
He says world leaders recognize Israel’s right to defend itself against Iran.
Netanyahu says he doesn’t know how long it will last.
He recognizes the challenge of dealing with sites such as the Fordo plant near the city of Qom, but says he will not go into details about how Israel will confront that challenge.
At the same time, all the components of the ballistic missile program are vulnerable and above ground, he points out.
He says the surprise element of the operation was vital, and that the scale of the surprise attack is far greater than the detonating of explosives in Hezbollah’s beepers last year.
This operation is on “a whole different level” and it will “change history — ensure our future and change the region.”
The success of this operation will affect what happens in Gaza, he says, and can lead to a new Middle East.
He will address the Iranian people directly later, says Netanyahu.
The Times of Israel Community.