Israel 'changing the face of the world' with war on Iran, Netanyahu says

Regime change in Tehran not the goal, claims Israeli leader in interview

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said his country's conflict with Iran was “changing the face of the world” and that the military campaign was “ahead of schedule”.

“I said that we're changing the face of the Middle East, and now I say we're changing the face of the world,” he told public broadcaster Kan in a rare interview.

Seven days since Israel launched strikes on Iran, resulting in unprecedented escalation between the two foes, Mr Netanyahu said Israeli forces were “ahead of schedule” in their offensive but did not provide a clear timeline for when the conflict would end.

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“We are at war. I'm not going to reveal our timeline. I'm not going to tell them what we're preparing,” he said.

He claimed that Israel had so far destroyed at least half of Iran's missile launchers, killed key figures and vowed to hit all nuclear sites − including the heavily fortified Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant.

But, in an apparent reference to its key ally in Washington, Mr Netanyahu said “all help is welcome”.

His interview took place before the White House said US President Donald Trump would decide in the next two weeks whether to get involved.

Military analysts believe Israel will need the military bunker-busting bombs that only the US possesses to destroy Fordow, the crown jewel of Iran's nuclear programme buried beneath a mountain near the city of Qom, south of Tehran.

In a reference to Mr Trump, Mr Netanyahu said that “he will do what is good for the United States and I will do what is good for the State of Israel, and I must say that up to this moment everyone is doing their part”.

With regards to his objectives in the war, the Israeli leader said regime change was not the goal but that it could be a possible outcome, echoing previous similar remarks. “The matter of changing the regime or the fall of this regime is first and foremost a matter for the Iranian people. There is no substitute for this.

“And that's why I didn't present it as a goal. It could be a result, but it's not a stated or formal goal that we have,” he said.

Iran and Israel have been engaged in a shadow war for decades but had never directly attacked each other before the war in Gaza broke out in October, 2023. Western countries, the US and Israel have long been suspicious of Iran's nuclear programme. Tehran says it is for peaceful purposes and that it does not aim to develop a bomb.

Negotiations were taking place between the US and Iran to potentially reach another nuclear deal before the latest air war broke out.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will meet his counterparts from Britain, Germany, France and the EU in Geneva on Friday, in the first glimmer of peace hopes in the past week.