Summary of this article
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu outlined primary objectives for the ongoing US-Israel military operation against Iran, codenamed Operation Rising Lion.
One of the goal focuses on eradicating the ballistic missile threat before facilities are hardened underground and become invulnerable to aerial strikes.
The other objective involves creating conditions for the Iranian people to overthrow the Ayatollah regime, while Netanyahu hailed US President Donald Trump's leadership and denied dragging America into the conflict.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the nation and the international press on March 20, 2026, outlining the three strategic objectives driving Israel’s ongoing military campaign against Iran, codenamed Operation Rising Lion. Speaking from a secure location amid circulating rumours about his own safety, Netanyahu began by firmly stating, “First of all, I just want to say, I’m alive, and you’re all witnesses,” before detailing the goals that he said define the war’s purpose.
The first objective, he explained, is the complete elimination of Iran’s nuclear threat. Netanyahu asserted that after 20 days of sustained Israeli and allied strikes, Iran has lost all capacity to enrich uranium and is no longer able to produce ballistic missiles. He stressed the urgency of destroying these capabilities before key facilities are buried deeper underground, rendering them immune to future aerial attacks.
The second goal focuses squarely on removing the ballistic missile threat that has targeted Israel and its allies. Netanyahu described Iran’s missile arsenal as a direct existential danger, one that the Ayatollah regime has used to wage war not only against Israel and the United States but also against its own people for nearly five decades.
The third and final objective, according to the Israeli leader, goes beyond military neutralization. He said the campaign aims to create the conditions under which the Iranian people can finally take control of their future and secure their freedom from the current regime. Netanyahu repeatedly condemned the Iranian leadership, stating that it “chants death to America, death to Israel, and it delivers death to its own people,” and declared that “we are winning and Iran is being decimated.”
Throughout the press conference, Netanyahu expressed deep appreciation for what he called the “visionary leadership” of US President Donald Trump. He emphasized that Israel and the United States are acting in close coordination with “great determination” and “unprecedented strength” to confront what he described as a 47-year campaign of aggression by the Iranian regime. He also denied suggestions that Israel had dragged the US into the conflict, insisting the partnership was based on shared interests and resolve.
The remarks come at a critical juncture in the escalating West Asia war, with reports of Israeli strikes reaching as far as the Caspian Sea region and the United States reportedly seeking $200 billion in emergency funding to sustain operations. Netanyahu’s confident assessment that Iran’s nuclear and missile programmes have been effectively crippled marks a sharp escalation in rhetoric and signals Israel’s intent to press its military advantage while pushing for long-term strategic change inside Iran itself.
