Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mentioned the possibility of a regime change in Iran due to military attacks on Iran. He emphasized the legitimacy of this attack, stating, 'We cannot allow a second Holocaust, namely a nuclear Holocaust.'
On the 15th (local time), Prime Minister Netanyahu stated in an interview with Fox News that 'the Iranian regime is very weak, and regime change could occur as a result of military action.' To the question of whether regime change is the target of the attack, he said, 'It's not an explicit goal, but the possibility is certainly there.'
He explained the purpose of Israel's military action as 'to eliminate two existential threats, namely the nuclear and ballistic missile threats.' He added, 'Iran is the most dangerous regime in the world and a group attempting to acquire the most dangerous weapons,' and stated, 'We acted to protect not only ourselves but also the entire world.'
Although Israel does not officially set regime change in Iran as an attack target, Prime Minister Netanyahu urged Iranian citizens to resist, stating right after the military operation, 'We must stand against the oppression of this evil regime.' He claimed, 'They do not have the support of the people,' adding that '80% of the Iranian people are abandoning the theocratic thugs.'
Israel stated that it shared information with the United States regarding indications of Iran's nuclear weapons development. Prime Minister Netanyahu said, 'We have confirmed uranium enrichment at a level capable of producing nine nuclear bombs.' He also explained, 'They could have developed test nuclear weapons within months, and there was a possibility of completion within one year.'
He alleged that Iran planned to provide nuclear weapons to proxy forces such as Houthi rebels in Yemen, emphasizing, 'This is global nuclear terrorism.' He added that 'the range of the intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) they are developing reaches 8,000 km, which is sufficient to reach the East Coast of the United States.'
In response to Iran stating that 'if Israel stops the attack, we can also stop retaliating,' Netanyahu dismissed the proposal, saying, 'They always lie and deceive.' It was noted that 'even if they stop, the development of weapons of mass destruction will continue.'
Prime Minister Netanyahu avoided addressing reports that former U.S. President Donald Trump refused an assassination operation against Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, stating, 'I won't address that issue.' However, he revealed that he informed President Trump before the bombing of Iranian military facilities. He also disclosed that U.S. pilots are intercepting drones launched from Iran.