Netanyahu Claims Israeli Strikes Blocked Iran Nuclear Threat

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that Israeli strikes prevented Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and using them against Israel. Speaking at the JNS International Policy Summit in Jerusalem, he described two operations that he said destroyed Iran's nuclear sites and killed 20 of its top nuclear scientists.

Netanyahu said the first operation, called Rising Lion, killed 12 scientists and the second, Roaring Lion, killed eight more.

"We destroyed Iran's nuclear infrastructure," Netanyahu said. " The prime minister added that Israel had changed its security doctrine by sending aircraft over Iran to strike nuclear, missile, and regime targets. Netanyahu said Israel also struck leaders and infrastructure tied to groups it considers threats, including operations that killed thousands of fighters and returned all Israeli hostages.

He described new security zones established in Gaza, Syria, and Lebanon that he said would remain in place as long as needed. Netanyahu urged Iranians to use the weakened position of their government to push for regime change.

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee spoke earlier at the same summit on June 21, 2026. He said Americans should thank the Jewish people for foundations of freedom and that those values distinguish democracies from dictatorships. "We should thank God for the Jewish people and for the foundations upon which freedom and the sanctity of man were built," Huckabee said.