Tel Aviv-Yafo – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the foreign press on the ongoing Operation Roaring Lion, claiming significant damage to Iran’s military infrastructure. Speaking this evening, Netanyahu dismissed reports suggesting Israel had dragged the United States into the conflict, calling them “fake news.”
“First of all, I just want to say I’m alive, and you’re all witnesses. Now that I dispatched this piece of fake news, I want to give you an update on Operation Roaring Lion,” Netanyahu said.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, this evening, to the Foreign Press:
— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) March 19, 2026
“First of all, I just want to say I'm alive, and you're all witnesses.
Now that I dispatched this piece of fake news, I want to give you an update on Operation Roaring Lion. pic.twitter.com/VJnWRkXQul
He said Israel and the United States are jointly acting to protect their countries, the Middle East, and “I venture to say the entire world.” Netanyahu asserted that Iran’s missile and drone arsenal is being “massively degraded” and that hundreds of launchers have been destroyed along with missile stockpiles and related industries.
“In Rising Lion, we destroyed missiles and we destroyed a lot of the nuclear infrastructure. But what we’re destroying now are the factories that produce the components to make these missiles and to make the nuclear weapons that they’re trying to produce,” he added.
Netanyahu claimed Iran’s air defenses have been rendered ineffective, its navy has been hit in the Caspian Sea, and its air force is “nearly destroyed.” He described the Iranian command and control structure as “in utter chaos” but said there is more work to be done.
Addressing the U.S. role, he said, “President Trump always makes his decisions on what he thinks is good for America, and may I add, I think what is also good for future generations. In this case, those interests are absolutely clear, and so is the clarity of our achievements.”
Netanyahu detailed his coordination with U.S. leadership, saying, “Together in close coordination with President Trump, close coordination between America and Israel, our militaries, our intelligence services, we’re achieving goals at lightning speed.”
He described Iran as a long-standing threat to Israel and the world, citing past attacks on Americans, including bombings of embassies and the killing of U.S. marines in Beirut. Netanyahu warned of the potential global danger if Iran obtained nuclear weapons, calling the regime “ideological fanatics” who seek to destroy Western civilization.
“This is a danger for the entire world. It’s certainly a danger for Israel. It’s certainly a danger for America,” he said. Netanyahu concluded that leaders worldwide privately acknowledge the effort but have not publicly recognized it, praising President Trump for his leadership.
