Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that President Donald Trump recognized the threat posed by Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons and long range missile systems decades ago, contrasting his stance with Western leaders whom he accused of underestimating the danger. In an interview with Newsmax leadership, Netanyahu warned that Iran's expanding missile range now places much of Europe within reach and could eventually threaten the United States.

Netanyahu argued that Iran's steady nuclear progress and improvements in delivery systems have been ignored for years, contributing to the current crisis. He praised Trump for withdrawing from the Iran nuclear agreement and taking early action against Tehran's ambitions, describing the issue as a defining security challenge not only for Israel but for the broader free world.

He also outlined long term strategies to counter Iran's regional leverage, including rerouting energy pipelines through Saudi Arabia to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil transit route vulnerable to Iranian disruption. Netanyahu said the joint United States and Israeli mission has moved beyond the halfway point, focusing on Iran's enriched uranium stockpile after significant strikes on missile facilities, nuclear infrastructure, and key personnel. He stressed that the objective is to prevent Iran from acquiring the capability to strike American cities with nuclear weapons.