Israel close to meeting its goals in Tehran, says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on Sunday that Israel is extremely close to fulfilling its objective of eliminating the dual threats posed by Iran’s nuclear program and ballistic missiles, according to Reuters report.

Netanyahu stated that he would not terminate the Iran campaign too soon, but he also pledged not to allow Israel to be drawn into an attrition-based conflict, added in a report.

“We won’t pursue our actions beyond what is needed to achieve them, but we also won’t finish too soon. When the objectives are achieved, then the operation is complete and the fighting will stop,” Benjamin Netanyahu said to Israeli reporters, quoted by Reuters.

“I have no doubt that this is a regime that wants to wipe us out, and that’s why we embarked on this operation to eliminate the two concrete threats to our existence: the nuclear threat, the ballistic missile threat. We are moving step by step towards achieving these goals. We are very, very close to completing them,” Netanyahu stated.

He stated that American bunker-buster bombs had severely destroyed Iran’s Fordow nuclear site overnight, however it was unclear how much damage had been done. Tehran has promised to use all available means to defend itself, reported by Reuters.

When questioned where Iranian 60% enriched uranium was situated, Benjamin Netanyahu stated, “We’ve been following that very closely. I can tell you that it’s an important component of a nuclear programme,” as per Reuters.

“It’s not the sole component. It’s not a sufficient component. But it is an important component and we have interesting intel on that, which you will excuse me if I don’t share with you,” according to Reuters, citing Benjamin Netanyahu.

As per Reuters, Prior to Israel’s initial attacks on its enrichment facilities on June 13, Iran was refining uranium up to 60% pure. This was a significant step up from the roughly 90% bomb-grade uranium and much higher than the 3.67% cap set by a 2015 nuclear agreement, which Iran complied with until the year after U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew in 2018.