Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a press conference, amid the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran, in Jerusalem, March 19, 2026. <\/p>\n
Ronen Zvulun | Reuters<\/p>\n
Iran no longer has the capacity to enrich uranium or make ballistic missiles after 20 days of \u2060U.S.-Israeli air attacks, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told a news conference \u200bon Thursday.<\/p>\n
“We are \u200bwinning, and \u200bIran is being decimated,” Netanyahu said, noting that Iran’s missile and drone arsenal is being massively degraded and will be destroyed.<\/p>\n
“What \u2060we’re \u200cdestroying now are the factories that \u2060produce the components to make these missiles and to make the nuclear weapons that they’re trying to produce,” Netanyahu said.<\/p>\n
Netanyahu did not provide evidence \u200cfor his claim that Iran no longer had the capacity to enrich uranium.<\/p>\n
Iran’s nuclear program was the \u200bfocus of mediated talks that ultimately collapsed with the U.S. and Israel launching an air attack on Iran on February 28. Iran has fired missiles \u2060back at Israel and other Gulf countries while also limiting tankers from using \u200cthe Straight of Hormuz.<\/p>\n
Despite the nearly \u200cthree week war, it was still too soon to tell whether Iranians will take to the streets to try to overthrow their \u2060government, Netanyahu said.<\/p>\n
“It’s up to the Iranian people to \u2060show that, to choose the moment and \u2060to rise to the moment,” he said.<\/p>\n
While the war so far has been conducted via air \u200battacks, Netanyahu said there has \u200cto be a ground component as well and “there are many possibilities for this ground component.” He did not elaborate.<\/p>\n
Netanyahu also denied he dragged the United States into the conflict.<\/p>\n
“Does anyone really think \u200bthat someone can tell President Trump \u200cwhat to do?” he said.<\/p>\n
A satellite imagery taken on Jan. 30, 2026 shows a new roof over a previously destroyed building at Natanz nuclear site, Iran.<\/p>\n
2026 Planet Labs PBC | Via Reuters<\/p>\n