While defending Israel, we are protecting world: Netanyahu on Iran threat

Calling Iran’s nuclear and missile ambitions a danger to global security, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday said Israel’s ongoing military campaign is intended not only to defend the Jewish state but also to shield the wider world from what he described as an existential threat.

Speaking during a visit to Bet Shemesh — a central Israeli city struck by an Iranian ballistic missile a day earlier — Netanyahu said the operation, dubbed “Operation Roaring Lion”, entered its third day with coordinated backing from the United States.

“This is the third day of Operation Roaring Lion, which the Israeli army and the State of Israel launched, together with our great friends in the US and President Trump, to thwart existential threats to Israel, and great threats to America and the entire world,” he said.

The missile strike on Bet Shemesh, located about 35 km west of Jerusalem, killed nine people and injured more than 20 when it slammed into a residential neighbourhood, causing extensive damage. Emergency services worked through the night to rescue residents from debris-strewn buildings.

Netanyahu argued that Tehran’s threats extend well beyond Israel and the United States. Referring to Iran’s slogans of “Death to Israel, death to America,” he said the regime’s ambitions also target Europe and other regions. He appeared to allude to reports of an Iranian strike on a UK-linked facility in Cyprus, suggesting that Europe is not beyond Tehran’s reach.

Warning against Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons and long-range ballistic missiles, Netanyahu said such capabilities would pose a direct threat to humanity. “If this terrorist regime gets nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them — ballistic and intercontinental ballistic missiles — they will threaten all of humanity. So we set out to protect ourselves. But in so doing, we protect many others,” he said.

The latest escalation follows the reported killing of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in a joint US–Israeli operation on Saturday. In retaliation, Iran launched missile attacks on Israeli territory, leaving around 10 people dead and dozens injured, according to Israeli authorities.

Netanyahu also expressed gratitude to US President Donald Trump for Washington’s support. “I want to say special thanks to our great friend and a great leader of the world, Donald Trump, for joining us in this crucial effort to save the world,” he said.

As cross-border strikes continue, fears are mounting of a broader regional confrontation, with both sides trading deadly blows and the international community watching closely for signs of further escalation.

With PTI inputs