Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel's strikes on Iran in February and June 2025 prevented the Islamic regime from obtaining an atomic bomb that he claims would have been used against Israel. Speaking to Independence Day torchlighters, he argued that without those actions, Iran would now possess nuclear weapons, calling the threat 'the beginning of the end for the Jewish people.' He said the decision to act was necessary to ensure the country's survival.

Netanyahu added that despite the establishment of the state, attacks and antisemitism against Jewish people have persisted. He said what has changed is Israel's ability to defend itself, asserting that the country has not only reshaped the Middle East but also transformed its own capabilities in unprecedented ways.

The Independence Day ceremony, attended by Transportation Minister Miri Regev and Sara Netanyahu, will be held live following ceasefires with Iran and Hezbollah. Among the invited torchlighters is Argentine President Javier Milei, who is also scheduled to meet President Isaac Herzog to receive the Presidential Medal of Honor.