Iran declared war on Israel long ago; now it is facing the consequences

Israel’s overnight strike in Iran was a necessity. A regime that repeatedly declares its strategic goal to be the “total annihilation of Israel” cannot be allowed to possess the nuclear capability with which to achieve that goal.

A regime that has twice launched hundreds of ballistic missiles and armed drones at Israel — in April and October last year — has no right to expect immunity.

A regime that for years fueled deadly terrorism, both directly and through proxies, across the Middle East and beyond, that bankrolled the October 7 massacre and Hezbollah’s missile attacks against Israeli civilians, declared war on us long ago. What Iran is facing now are the consequences of that war.

Israel did not seek this — just as it did not seek the war in Gaza. But we are determined to win.

What does victory look like? An Iran without a nuclear capability. An Iran deterred from further escalation. An Iran that understands it cannot spread terrorism in the region without paying a price.

The opening hours of this operation have shown what Israel is capable of, the strength and sophistication of our armed forces and the depth of our intelligence. Those who stand behind Iran’s nuclear program and its terrorist infrastructure can’t run and they can’t hide.

As with Gaza, this war is not against the people of Iran. This war is against the fanatical Iranian leadership that is the enemy of freedom-loving people everywhere – in Iran, in Israel and across the world.

This is not the first time the Iranian leadership is misreading Israel. We are a thriving democracy. There is no hiding the disagreements in our country and the passionate debates in our politics. Iran’s leaders assume that democracy is the source of our weakness. The opposite is true; it is the source of our strength.

Israel has always stood united in the face of existential threats. I stand fully behind the goals of this operation and behind our security services. The opposition will offer assistance in any way that it can to ensure the success of the mission.

When it comes to the security of the people of Israel in the face of our enemies, we are one people, with one mission. Our children will not live in fear of an Iranian nuclear bomb. Not today, not ever.