Netanyahu Says Israel Will Hit Iran Again if Attacked Despite Trump Ceasefire Push

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel has paused strikes on Iran for now at President Donald Trump’s request but warned Tehran that any renewed attack would bring a forceful Israeli response.

By yourNEWS Media Newsroom

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that Israel will strike Iran “whenever necessary,” making clear that he does not intend to let Tehran or international pressure dictate Israel’s security decisions.

Netanyahu made the comments in a prerecorded statement posted on X and carried by Israeli media outlets. It was his first public statement since renewed fighting between Israel and Iran erupted Sunday night, and it came after President Donald Trump said Netanyahu would ultimately have to accept whatever peace agreement Washington reaches with Tehran.

Netanyahu Says Israel Will Hit Iran Again if Attacked Despite Trump Ceasefire Push

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel has paused strikes on Iran for now at President Donald Trump’s request but warned Tehran that any renewed attack would bring a forceful Israeli response.

By yourNEWS Media Newsroom

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that Israel will strike Iran “whenever necessary,” making clear that he does not intend to let Tehran or international pressure dictate Israel’s security decisions.

Netanyahu made the comments in a prerecorded statement posted on X and carried by Israeli media outlets. It was his first public statement since renewed fighting between Israel and Iran erupted Sunday night, and it came after President Donald Trump said Netanyahu would ultimately have to accept whatever peace agreement Washington reaches with Tehran.

Netanyahu said Israel’s right to defend itself remains unchanged, including in his discussions with Trump.

“Israel has every right to self-defense, and we will exercise that right whenever necessary,” Netanyahu said, according to a transcript released by his office. “I say this to you, dear citizens of Israel, just as I say it with appreciation and respect in my good conversations with my friend President Trump.”

Iran fired missiles into Israel on Sunday, marking Tehran’s first attack on the country since a fragile ceasefire with the United States began April 7.

The latest confrontation followed rising tension along the Lebanon border, where Israel entered a buffer zone to target Iranian-backed Hezbollah terrorists, according to Israeli officials. Israel had previously agreed to a U.S.-brokered ceasefire with Lebanon.

Netanyahu said Israel remains focused on restoring security in the north.

“With unity, determination, and wisdom, we will defend the state of Israel, and with God’s help, we will restore security to the north,” Netanyahu said.

The prime minister confirmed that Israel had stopped military action against Iran “for now,” but said the halt was conditional on Tehran not resuming attacks.

“At present, the fire on this front has been halted, because after the terrorist regime in Tehran was struck, it stopped attacking us,” Netanyahu said. “If that terrorist regime in Iran makes the mistake of attacking us again, we will respond with force.”

Netanyahu spoke with Trump earlier Monday. After the call, a senior Israeli official told Ynet Global that Israel would pause its strikes at Trump’s request.

“At Trump’s request, we are stopping the strikes in Iran,” the official said.

Trump had earlier posted on Truth Social that “Israel and Iran must stop shooting immediately.”

In a later post, Trump said “both sides, Israel and Iran, want an immediate ceasefire” and that final negotiations on “peace” were moving forward as long as “ignorance or stupidity” did not interfere.

An Israeli source familiar with the situation told Ynet that Israel had wanted to strike Iran as early as Thursday, but Trump urged Israel not to proceed, leading officials to shelve the plan at the time.

Netanyahu’s statement underscored the tension between Israel’s insistence on military freedom of action and Trump’s attempt to keep ceasefire and peace negotiations moving. While Israel has agreed to stop strikes for now, Netanyahu warned that any renewed Iranian attack would trigger another Israeli response.

Netanyahu said Israel’s right to defend itself remains unchanged, including in his discussions with Trump.

“Israel has every right to self-defense, and we will exercise that right whenever necessary,” Netanyahu said, according to a transcript released by his office. “I say this to you, dear citizens of Israel, just as I say it with appreciation and respect in my good conversations with my friend President Trump.”

Iran fired missiles into Israel on Sunday, marking Tehran’s first attack on the country since a fragile ceasefire with the United States began April 7.

The latest confrontation followed rising tension along the Lebanon border, where Israel entered a buffer zone to target Iranian-backed Hezbollah terrorists, according to Israeli officials. Israel had previously agreed to a U.S.-brokered ceasefire with Lebanon.

Netanyahu said Israel remains focused on restoring security in the north.

“With unity, determination, and wisdom, we will defend the state of Israel, and with God’s help, we will restore security to the north,” Netanyahu said.

The prime minister confirmed that Israel had stopped military action against Iran “for now,” but said the halt was conditional on Tehran not resuming attacks.

“At present, the fire on this front has been halted, because after the terrorist regime in Tehran was struck, it stopped attacking us,” Netanyahu said. “If that terrorist regime in Iran makes the mistake of attacking us again, we will respond with force.”

Netanyahu spoke with Trump earlier Monday. After the call, a senior Israeli official told Ynet Global that Israel would pause its strikes at Trump’s request.

“At Trump’s request, we are stopping the strikes in Iran,” the official said.

Trump had earlier posted on Truth Social that “Israel and Iran must stop shooting immediately.”

In a later post, Trump said “both sides, Israel and Iran, want an immediate ceasefire” and that final negotiations on “peace” were moving forward as long as “ignorance or stupidity” did not interfere.

An Israeli source familiar with the situation told Ynet that Israel had wanted to strike Iran as early as Thursday, but Trump urged Israel not to proceed, leading officials to shelve the plan at the time.

Netanyahu’s statement underscored the tension between Israel’s insistence on military freedom of action and Trump’s attempt to keep ceasefire and peace negotiations moving. While Israel has agreed to stop strikes for now, Netanyahu warned that any renewed Iranian attack would trigger another Israeli response.