Netanyahu sees lifelong dream coming true as Iranian beast reels
For Benjamin Netanyahu the bombing of Fordow and the destruction of Iran's nuclear programme marks the best part of a life's work – and a promise kept to Israel.
That it was US bombers that finished the job will make not a jot of difference. Iran's theocratic regime has been Bibi's obsession for the best part of four decades and few will see the destruction of its nuclear sites as anyone else's victory but his own.
A week last Friday, he took care to remind people of this when Israel launched its first strikes against Iran.
'If I may, on a personal level, I've been watching this threat for over 40 years,' he told the nation. 'In 1982, I wrote in one of my books – that's three years, only three years, after the establishment of the regime of the ayatollahs – that the biggest threat faced by humanity and by us, our state, will be the terror regime of the ayatollahs.'
On Sunday morning, on the international stage, he was busy praising the American effort ('Congratulations, President Trump. Your bold decision to target Iran's nuclear facilities with the awesome and righteous might of the United States will change history').
But the Israeli prime minister was bigging up the president safe in the knowledge that, at home, it was his name - not Trump's - that was being mentioned second only to God's.
'This morning, the world is a better and safer world,' said Bezalel Smotrich, Israel's messianic finance minister. 'Thank you to the Lord of the Universe. Thank you to Prime Minister Netanyahu … [oh, and] Thank you to President Trump'.
Most Israelis only got the news when air raid sirens sounded at 7.30am and they got to the bomb shelters. In mine in central Tel Aviv, there was no outward celebration but relieved smiles broke across most peoples faces as they lit up their phones.
Over the past week, there has been real anxiety here that Trump would chicken out and leave Israel to hang. The two week timeline set a few days ago by the president was widely seen as opening the door to a climb down.
That mood has shifted dramatically.
'For me the biggest message this sends is that no one f---s with us,' a young South African Israeli told me after the blast doors opened.
Where things go from here is anyone's guess but, make no mistake, Netanyahu, the ultimate political operator, has plans.
His generals have been very careful over the last few days to stress in their morning briefings that the existential threat Iran poses to Israel is, not singular, but three pronged: nuclear, ballistic missiles and Oct 7 style terrorism.
Yet elections loom in Israel (they must be held by Oct 2026 at the latest) and as the polls stood the day before the strike, Netanyahu was still trailing.
He will no doubt aim to exploit the destruction of Iran's nuclear facilities to boost his prospects but - as happened to Winston Churchill after the Second World War - Israel may yet choose a different leader to build the peace, if indeed peace comes.
How this would be taken by Netanyahu is not clear. Churchill turned to writing, painting and bricklaying but Bibi is a very different animal and has corruption charges against him to contend with, not to mention alleged war crimes.
One Israeli commentator recently wrote that he 'he sees himself as a type of white knight fighting against the Iranian monster in order to save humankind'.
His father was a famous Israeli historian known for his revisionism and Netanyahu is said to have been shaped by him.
If he is remembered for slaying the Iranian beast, one suspects he will ultimately retire satisfied, no matter what else he faces.
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Sky News
15 minutes ago
- Sky News
Israel-Iran live: 'Incredible success' of US strikes on Iran hailed by Hegseth; Starmer warns conflict could escalate beyond region
US strikes on Iran 'not about regime change' - US defence secretary The two US military leaders are now taking questions from journalists, and the first is if regime change was or is the goal. US secretary of defence Pete Hegseth replies: "This mission was not and has not been about regime change. "The president authorised a precision operation to neutralise the threats to our national interests posed by the Iranian nuclear programme, and the collective self-defence of our troops and our ally, Israel." The second question is if the US military believes some of Iran's nuclear capability remains, despite the strikes, and the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, Dan Caine, replies that it is "way too early" to assess. Iran nuclear sites suffered 'extremely severe damage and destruction' after US strikes More to bring you now from the Pentagon news conference. Dan Caine, chairman of the US joint chiefs of staff, the most senior US military official, went into details about the operation - which he revealed was called Midnight Hammer. The US Air Force general laid out timings, as well as the weapons and equipment used. He added initial battle damage assessments found all three sites suffered "extremely severe damage and destruction". 'Deception effort' Caine said that at midnight on Friday, a large B-2 strike package of bombers launched from the US. To maintain surprise, some bombers flew west into the Pacific, something described as a "deception effort". During the 18-hour flight to the target, the US bombers underwent multiple refuellings. "It was planned and executed across multiple domains and theatres with coordination that reflects our ability to project power globally with speed and precision at the time and place of our nation's choosing," Caine said. Tomahawk cruise missiles hit Isfahan As the Operation Midnight Hammer bombers entered Iran, the US deployed "several decoys" and just before it did so, at 5pm EST, a US submarine launched more than two dozen Tomahawk cruise missiles at Isfahan. 14 bunker buster bombs used in Midnight Hammer Caine went on: "At approximately 6.40pm EST, the lead B-2 dropped two GBU 57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator weapons on the first of several Aim points at Fordo. "As the president stated last night, the remaining bombers then hit their targets." More than 75 weapons were used in total, including 14 30,000lbs bunker buster bombs. This marked their first operational use. During questions, defence secretary Pete Hegseth said that he believed they had "achieved destruction of capabilities" at Fordow. He said: "The battle damage assessment is ongoing, but our initial assessment, as the chairman said, is that all of our precision munitions struck where we wanted them to strike and had the desired effect, which means especially in Fordow, which was the primary target here, we believe we achieved destruction of capabilities there." Strikes on Iran were 'an incredible and overwhelming success' - US defence secretary Secretary of defence Pete Hegseth opens the news briefing by saying US forces "conducted a precision strike in the middle of the night against three nuclear facilities in Iran". The aim was "to destroy or severely degrade Iran's nuclear programme". "It was an incredible and overwhelming success," he declares. "We devastated the Iranian nuclear programme." Hegseth goes on to say that President Trump has stated for over a decade that "Iran must not get a nuclear weapon", and thanks to last night's decision, "Iran's nuclear ambitions have been obliterated". This operation was the "final blow" to Tehran's nuclear programme, Hegseth claims, and describes President Trump's plan as "bold" and "brilliant". "When this president speaks, the world should listen. And the US military - we can back it up. The most powerful military the world has ever known - no other country on planet Earth could have conducted the operation that the chairman is going to outline this morning." Nonetheless, President Trump "seeks peace", Hegseth continues, adding that Iran "should choose that path". The defence secretary also reiterated that Iran should not retaliate, as the president emphasised last night. "Every American involved in this operation performed flawlessly, and I want to give recognition to our allies in Israel as well," he adds. "The United States does not seek war, but let me be clear - we will act swiftly and decisively when our people, our partners, or our interests are threatened." Watch live: Pentagon holds news briefing after strikes in Iran A news briefing at the Pentagon - the home of the US military - is under way. Secretary of defence Pete Hegseth and the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, Dan Caine (the most senior US military official) are speaking in the wake of last night's strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. Watch live on Sky News, and in the stream at the top of this page. Iran's response could make global economic shock of Ukraine war 'seem like small change' A former senior British military intelligence officer has told Sky News that the world could face huge economic turbulence, depending on how Iran chooses to respond to the US strikes. Phillip Ingram says what happens next - with the Iranian leadership likely to feel compelled to respond - could be "really, really worrying". He told Sky News presenter Matt Barbet earlier: "If Iran does shut the Straits of Hormuz, between 20 and 30% of all the world's oil and gas goes through that strait. "The economic shock that would cause across the world would make what happened when Russia invaded Ukraine just over three years ago seem like small change." Iran has other options, Ingram went on, with its proxies across the region. Some of these, Ingram said, "were scary". They range from terrorist activity to attacking US bases in the Middle East, he said. Watch the full interview below: UK steps up 'force protection measures' at military bases in Middle East The UK has further increased its "force protection" measures for its military bases and personnel in the Middle East to their highest level in the wake of the US strikes against Iran, Sky News understands. This will involve greater security and heightened vigilance to protect British troops, equipment and bases. EU Red Sea mission raises assessment to 'severe' for US and Israeli ships The EU's naval mission in the Red Sea has raised its assessment level to "severe". It applies to ships with US and Israeli interests heading through the Red Sea, Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden, according to a statement. Watch: On the ground in Tel Aviv - where apartments have been destroyed by Iranian strikes Our correspondent Cordelia Lynch is reporting from Tel Aviv, where more Iranian missiles hit overnight. The central Israeli city has been repeatedly struck since Israel initiated fighting last Friday. Lynch reports from a neighbourhood on the outskirts of the city, where the front facade of a building was ripped off. She describes how people's belongings were left exposed. Catch up on her full report here: Russia condemns US strikes on Iran Russia's foreign ministry has condemned the US strikes on Iran's nuclear sites. 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The British-Iranian lawyer in his 20s was born and bred in Wembley, but many members of his family are in Tehran: his grandparents on his mother's side, his father's father, his aunts, uncles, cousins. And while the public was told to evacuate before the first strikes by Israel on Friday 13 June, for many, that simply wasn't an option. "It was not feasible for elderly people," he said. "Vulnerable people like my grandparents were forced to stay. A three-hour journey was taking 20 hours." Watch: Israel begins a new wave of strikes in Iran And with only a fraction of the country able to access intermittent internet, it has been hard to confirm that they are safe. One of his cousins has been able to access social media and has posted updates to reassure relatives here in the UK. Now, Joe is hugely worried about what lies ahead. "The way people look at this conflict, it's like a Marvel film; looking for a good side and a bad side." But it's not that simple, he says. "If regime change is to come about, I wouldn't know how to feel. "Part of me would feel relieved and happy, but part of me would feel is it Israel and the US's job to topple this regime?"
Leader Live
15 minutes ago
- Leader Live
Plaid to PM: 'Don't follow Trump into Middle East conflict'
Rhun ap Iorwerth, MS for Ynys Môn, and Liz Saville Roberts, MP for Dwyfor Meirionnydd, welcomed Prime Minister Keir Starmer's calls for diplomacy and de-escalation, but voiced concerns that he had fallen short of roundly condemning President Trump's authorisation of US strikes against Iran overnight. The Plaid Cymru politicians said that the pursuit of peace should take priority over any UK loyalty to the US and warned against repeating history where the UK entered a regional conflict in the Middle East as 'America's puppet.' In a joint statement, Mr ap Iorwerth and Ms Saville Roberts said: 'President Trump's decision to launch US strikes against Iran is potentially catastrophic for an already destabilised region. 'Whilst Prime Minister Keir Starmer's calls for diplomacy and de-escalation are to be welcomed, it is concerning that he has fallen short of roundly condemning President Trump's actions. 'The pursuit of peace should take priority over any UK loyalty to the US. We all remember the disastrous consequences of being dragged into a regional conflict in the Middle East as America's puppet. 'It is essential therefore that Parliament has the opportunity to veto any UK military involvement in the Israel-Iran conflict should Keir Starmer yield to any pressure from President Trump and propose some form of intervention. 'In the same way the US Democrats are divided on the issue, Keir Starmer may well face pressure from Labour hawks to follow President Trump's lead. 'Air strikes were launched against Syria in 2018 without granting Parliament an opportunity to vote on military action. At the time Plaid Cymru accused then-Prime Minister Theresa May of showing complete disregard towards democracy. 'We stand firmly by that view and reiterate our calls for restraint before more innocent civilian lives are lost.' The US strike on Iran has fuelled fears that Israel's war with Tehran could escalate to a wider regional conflict. World leaders have reacted with calls for diplomacy and words of caution. US President Donald Trump had said on Thursday that he would decide within two weeks whether to get involved. In the end, it took just days, and Washington inserted itself into Israel's campaign with its early attack early on Sunday, reports the Press Association (PA).
Leader Live
15 minutes ago
- Leader Live
Starmer warns of ‘risk of escalation' following US strikes against Iran
The Prime Minister urged all sides to return to negotiations but said he had taken 'all necessary measures' to protect British interests in the region if the conflict escalates. There was no British involvement in the action but the Government was informed before the US strikes. Tehran has threatened to retaliate and Mr Trump has warned of further US action if necessary, saying: 'There will either be peace or there will be tragedy for Iran.' Speaking at his Chequers country retreat, the Prime Minister said there was a 'risk of escalation' adding: 'That's a risk to the region. It's a risk beyond the region, and that's why all our focus has been on de-escalating, getting people back around to negotiate what is a very real threat in relation to the nuclear programme. 'In relation to the UK, we were not involved in the attack. We were given due notice, as we would expect, as close allies to the US, and we have been moving assets to the region to make sure we're in a position to protect our own interests, our personnel and our assets, and, of course, those of our allies.' The US action comes just days after Sir Keir, who attended the G7 summit in Canada with Mr Trump, said on Tuesday there was 'nothing' from the president to suggest he was about to get involved in the conflict. Mr Trump pushed ahead with the action anyway, which he claimed had 'completely and fully obliterated' key nuclear facilities. Asked if he had been left looking foolish by the UK's closest ally ignoring his calls for de-escalation and pushing ahead with military strikes, the Prime Minister said: 'It's clearly a fast-moving situation and there's been a huge amount of discussion in the days since the G7 ended.' The Prime Minister sought to dodge questions about whether the UK could get dragged into the conflict if Iran targeted the bases of the US, a Nato ally. 'I'm not going to speculate about what may happen, because all of my focus is on de-escalation,' he said. 'But I do want to reassure the public we have taken all necessary measures to protect UK interests, UK personnel and to work with our allies to protect their interests as well.' The US has taken action to alleviate the grave threat that Iran poses to global security. The UK did not participate in these strikes. The safety of UK personnel and bases is my top priority. Force protection is at its highest level and we deployed additional jets this week. — John Healey (@JohnHealey_MP) June 22, 2025 Extra RAF Typhoon jets have already been moved to the region and Defence Secretary John Healey said 'force protection is at its highest level' following the US strikes. Sir Keir will chair a meeting of the Government's Cobra crisis committee on Sunday afternoon and has held a series of calls with world leaders. The US attacked Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz which are linked to Iran's nuclear programme. The Tehran regime has insisted its nuclear programme is peaceful but its uranium enrichment process has gone far beyond what is required for power stations. — Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) June 22, 2025 The strikes followed a build-up of US military equipment, with B-2 stealth bombers – which are the only aircraft to carry a 30,000-pound bunker-buster bomb – reportedly used to target the underground facilities. The aircraft have previously used the UK-US airbase on Diego Garcia, one of the Chagos Islands, but it is understood that was not involved in these strikes. The attack on Iran also involved US submarines, which launched around 30 Tomahawk cruise missiles. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said: 'By targeting Iran's nuclear sites, the US has taken decisive action against a regime that fuels global terror and directly threatens the UK. 'Iranian operatives have plotted murders and attacks on British soil. We should stand firmly with the US and Israel.' Reform UK leader Nigel Farage also backed Mr Trump's decision to strike Iran. He said: 'Iran must not be allowed to have nuclear weapons, the future of Israel depends on it.' Liberal Democrats leader Sir Ed Davey said 'robust diplomacy' was now needed to eliminate Iran's nuclear threat, adding: 'Following the US strikes, it is essential that we work to de-escalate the conflict and achieve that diplomatic solution.' Scotland's First Minister John Swinney called for diplomacy, saying the Middle East conflict has reached 'an alarmingly greater level of danger after the US attacks on Iran'. Iran launched a ballistic missile barrage against Israel in retaliation to the US action. The foreign ministry in Tehran issued a statement condemning 'the United States' brutal military aggression against Iran's peaceful nuclear facilities'. It added: 'The Islamic Republic of Iran is resolved to defend Iran's territory, sovereignty, security and people by all force and means against the United States' criminal aggression.' Mr Trump said any retaliation would be met with 'force far greater' than that used in the initial strikes.
