Netanyahu Says Operation Targets Iran’s Existential Nuclear Threat, Urges Israelis to Prepare for Prolonged Confrontation
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel and the United States had launched a joint military operation against Iran aimed at eliminating what he described as an “existential threat,” confirming a major escalation in regional tensions after coordinated strikes targeted sites in and around Tehran amid the widening confrontation over Iran’s nuclear programme.
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| Image Source: Prime Minister of Israel |
The Israeli leader said the operation, named “Lion’s Roar,” was intended to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, arguing that “this murderous terrorist regime must not be allowed to arm itself with nuclear weapons that would enable it to threaten all of humanity.”
The announcement followed daylight strikes reported near offices associated with Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran, where witnesses described explosions and plumes of smoke rising across parts of the capital.
Iranian authorities confirmed blasts but did not immediately disclose casualties. Iran subsequently shut its airspace and warned of retaliation, while Israeli authorities issued nationwide alerts advising civilians to remain close to protected shelters as sirens sounded across multiple cities.
Netanyahu framed the operation as part of a broader confrontation with Iran’s leadership, stating that for decades “the Ayatollahs’ regime has chanted ‘Death to Israel,’ ‘Death to America,’” accusing Tehran of violence against Israelis, Americans and its own citizens.
He said the joint operation would “create the conditions for the brave Iranian people to take their fate into their own hands,” calling on different ethnic communities inside Iran to “cast off the yoke of tyranny.”
Shortly after Israel’s announcement, U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed American participation, declaring that the United States military had begun “major combat operations in Iran” with the objective of defending Americans “by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime.”
Trump said Washington viewed Iran as “the world’s number one state sponsor of terror” and insisted Tehran “can never have a nuclear weapon,” adding that U.S. forces were undertaking “a massive and ongoing operation” to destroy missile capabilities and neutralize threats against American troops, allies and international shipping.
Trump acknowledged the risks of escalation, stating that “the lives of courageous American heroes may be lost and we may have casualties,” but described the campaign as “a noble mission” intended to prevent a nuclear-armed Iran.
He also addressed the Iranian public directly, urging them to “take over your government” once operations conclude, while warning Iranian security forces to lay down their weapons or face consequences.
The strikes come after weeks of heightened military deployments by Washington in the Middle East, including fighter jets, warships and aircraft carriers positioned to pressure Tehran over nuclear negotiations. Israeli officials described the operation as preventive, while Iranian officials warned that retaliation would be “crushing,” raising fears of a wider regional conflict involving U.S. forces and allied targets.
אחיי ואחיותיי אזרחי ישראל, לפני שעה קלה יצאנו ישראל וארה״ב למבצע להסרת האיום הקיומי מצד משטר הטרור באיראן.
— Benjamin Netanyahu - בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) February 28, 2026
אני מודה לידידינו הגדול הנשיא דונלד טראמפ על מנהיגותו ההיסטורית.
במשך 47 שנים קורא משטר האייתוללות ״מוות לישראל״, ״מוות לאמריקה״. הוא הקיז את דמינו, רצח אמריקנים רבים וטבח… pic.twitter.com/itTF5b4jB4
The escalating confrontation has already disrupted civilian life and global travel. Israel closed parts of its airspace and imposed emergency restrictions, while passengers at Tel Aviv airport were directed to shelters during missile alerts.
India issued an advisory urging its nationals in Israel to exercise “utmost caution,” remain near designated shelters and avoid non-essential travel as the security situation evolved.
Netanyahu urged Israelis to prepare for a prolonged period of tension, calling on citizens to follow Home Front Command instructions and warning that “in the coming days, during Operation ‘Lion’s Roar,’ we will all be called upon to show patience and strength of spirit.”
He concluded that Israel and its allies would act together to ensure national security, saying, “Together we will stand, together we will fight, and together we will ensure the eternity of Israel.”
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