Israel 'very, very close' to achieving goals in Iran
JERUSALEM: Israel is "very, very close" to achieving its goals in Iran after US President Donald Trump ordered overnight bombing raids on the Islamic republic's nuclear sites, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.
Restating his objectives as destroying Iran's nuclear and missile capabilities, Netanyahu told journalists: "We are moving step by step towards achieving these goals, we are very, very close to completing them."
He added that "when they have been reached, the operation will finish".
Israel launched large-scale attacks on Iran on June 13 targeting its missile and nuclear facilities, as well as military leaders and security services.
The United States struck three nuclear sites in Iran overnight with massive bunker-busting bombs after days of speculation as to whether it would join Israel's campaign.
US President Donald Trump said Iran's nuclear enrichment sites had been "totally obliterated."
Asked about the location of Iran's highly enriched uranium stockpile, he said Israel had "interesting intelligence" but declined to elaborate.
There has been speculation that some of it might have been moved out of the underground Natanz and Fordo facilities before the American airstrikes.
"We're following that," he told reporters.
"We've been following it very closely... we have interesting intelligence on that which you'll excuse me if I dont share with you."
The Israeli military said earlier Sunday it was checking on the results on the American bombing raids. It said it was "too soon" to say if all the country's highly enriched uranium had been buried.
According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, Iran had enriched uranium to 60 percent in 2021, a short step from the 90 percent required for use in a weapon.
Israel's airforce continued to strike Iran Sunday, hitting "dozens" of targets around the country including launch sites used to fire daily barrages of missiles at Israeli cities, an army statement said.
Another wave of attacks was announced on Sunday evening on Tehran and the west of the country. - AFP
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