Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that the fall of Iran’s leadership is not an official goal of Israel’s ongoing military campaign, though he acknowledged it could ultimately become a consequence.
“The matter of changing the regime or the fall of this regime is first and foremost a matter for the Iranian people. There is no substitute for this,” Netanyahu said during an interview with Israel’s public broadcaster.
He emphasized, “That’s why I didn’t present it as a goal. It could be a result, but it’s not a stated or formal goal that we have.”
Netanyahu asserted that Israel has the capability to neutralize all of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, regardless of whether the United States decides to participate.
He made these remarks ahead of an expected decision from the White House on whether the U.S. would join the military operation. Observers say that American support, particularly access to powerful bunker-busting bombs, might be necessary to destroy Iran’s heavily fortified Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant buried deep beneath a mountain near Qom.
When asked whether Israel could strike Fordow without U.S. assistance, Netanyahu responded: “We have the power to remove all our targets, all their nuclear facilities. But the president’s decision — whether he wants to join or not — is his decision. He will do what is good for the United States, and I will do what is good for the State of Israel. So far, everyone is doing their part.”
In a separate statement, President Trump said the U.S. alone had the capability to eliminate the Fordow site but added, “That doesn’t mean I’m going to do it — at all.”
