PM Netanyahu Explains Goal Of ‘Rising Lion’: ‘Clear And Present Threat To Israel’s Survival’

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Friday said Israel launched a ‘targeted military operation’ against Iran, striking ‘at the heart’ of Tehran’s ballistic missile programme. The Israeli PM said the attack was to roll back the threat to Israel’s “very survival”.

Netanyahu said Israel’s attack on Iran would “continue for as many days as it takes” after Israel announced it had carried out strikes on Iranian nuclear and military sites.
“This operation will continue for as many days as it takes to remove this threat,” Netanyahu said in a video statement, naming the operation “Rising Lion”, reported news agency AFP.

Moments ago, Israel launched Operation “Rising Lion”, a targeted military operation to roll back the Iranian threat to Israel’s very survival.

This operation will continue for as many days as it takes to remove this threat.

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Statement by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: pic.twitter.com/XgUTy90g1S

— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) June 13, 2025

“We struck at the heart of Iran’s nuclear enrichment programme. We targeted Iran’s main enrichment facility at Natanz… We also struck at the heart of Iran’s ballistic missile programme,” he said, adding that Israel had also hit Iranian nuclear scientists “working on the Iranian bomb,” he said.

“This military operation aims to roll back the Iranian threat to Israel’s very survival. This operation will continue for as many days as necessary to eliminate that threat. For decades, the tyrants in Tehran have openly and brazenly called for the destruction of Israel,” he added.

The PM claimed that Iran has produced “enough highly enriched uranium for nine atomic bombs” and that it could produce “a nuclear weapon in a very short time”.

“They have backed up their genocidal rhetoric with a program to develop nuclear weapons,” Netanyahu said. “In recent years, Iran has produced enough highly enriched uranium for nine atomic bombs – nine. In recent months, Iran has taken steps it had never taken before – steps toward weaponising that enriched uranium. If not stopped, Iran could produce a nuclear weapon in a very short time. It could be within a year. It could even be within a few months – less than a year. This poses a clear and present danger to Israel’s very existence. Eighty years ago, the Jewish people were the victims of a Holocaust perpetrated by the Nazi regime. This could be a nuclear Holocaust.”

On Thursday morning, Netanyahu went to the Kotel for a private prayer. The prime minister placed a note in the Kotel which with the advent of the Iran operation has now become clearer.

Netanyahu at the Kotel, 6.12.25