Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphatically denied false reports of his demise before turning to address a growing rift with US President Donald Trump over Israel's recent military strike on Iran's South Pars gas field. In a 45-minute press conference, Netanyahu opened with a stark declaration: "First of all, I just want to say – I am alive, and you are all witnesses."
Dispelling Death Rumors and Fake News
Netanyahu's pointed remarks came days after he posted a video of himself getting coffee to counter rumors of his death. These rumors originated from a video shared by the Israeli government, which some social media users claimed showed Netanyahu with six fingers on one hand, suggesting it was AI-generated content. The prime minister quickly dismissed this as "fake news" before shifting focus to the ongoing conflict in Iran.
Addressing the Trump Rift Over Iran Attack
The prime minister addressed the apparent split in his partnership with Trump following Israel's strike on the South Pars gas field, the world's largest and a critical energy lifeline for Iran. The attack prompted Iran to retaliate against energy infrastructure in other Middle East countries, causing global energy prices to spiral further. This left both leaders facing questions about their coordination in prosecuting the war, which began as a closely coordinated joint attack on Iran.
Trump's Public Criticism
During an Oval Office meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, Trump told reporters that he neither agreed with nor approved of Israel's attack. "I told him, 'Don't do that'," Trump said of Netanyahu's decision to strike. He added, "We get along great. It's coordinated, but on occasion he'll do something. And if I don't like it — and so we're not doing that anymore."
Netanyahu's Response and Coordination Claims
Netanyahu stated that Israel "acted alone" in the strike and that he has agreed to Trump's request for Israel to hold off on any further attacks on Iran's giant gas field. He sought to downplay any distance between him and Trump, emphasizing their long-standing alignment on Iran's threat. "It's been said that for 40 years I've been saying that Iran is a danger to Israel and a danger to the world. That is true," Netanyahu said. "You know who else said that? President Trump."
He later added, "Look, I don't think any two leaders have been as coordinated as President Trump and I. He's the leader. I'm his ally. America is the leader. Does anyone really think that someone can tell President Trump what to do?"
Israel's Three Goals for the Iran War
Netanyahu outlined three primary objectives for the conflict in Iran:
- Removing the nuclear threat from Iran.
- Removing the ballistic missile threat, ensuring both threats are addressed before they become immune to aerial attack by being buried deep underground.
- Creating conditions for the Iranian people to grasp their freedom and control their destiny.
Air Strikes Alone Not Enough for Regime Change
Netanyahu noted that Iran is "weaker than ever" three weeks into the war but stated it is too soon to predict whether Iranians will take to the streets to overthrow their government. "It's up to the Iranian people to show that, to choose the moment and to rise to the moment," he said.
He emphasized that air strikes alone would not topple the regime, suggesting a ground component may be necessary to finish the job. "There has to be a ground component as well," Netanyahu said. "There are many possibilities for this ground component, and I take the liberty of not sharing with you all those possibilities."
