Benjamin Netanyahu strongly pushed back against claims that Israel pulled the US into the war with Iran, making it clear that Donald Trump makes his own decisions. Speaking at a recent press briefing, he said, “Does anyone really think that someone can tell President Trump what to do?” before adding firmly, “I misled no one.” His remarks come at a time when there are growing signs that Washington and Tel Aviv may not be fully on the same page over how the war should proceed.
He kicked off the press briefing by brushing aside rumours about himself, saying, “I’m alive, and you’re all witnesses… Now that I dispatched this piece of fake news,” before shifting focus to the ongoing military campaign, Operation Roaring Lion. During the same briefing, Netanyahu also found himself at the centre of controversy after a remark involving Jesus Christ drew backlash online.
Benjamin Netanyahu ‘Jesus Christ vs Genghis Khan’ remark
During his speech, Netanyahu said: “Jesus Christ has no advantage over Genghis Khan. If you are strong enough, ruthless enough, and powerful enough, evil will overcome good.” The remark did not go unnoticed. Within hours, the clip began spreading widely on social media, with many people calling it offensive and accusing him of being “anti-Christian.”
The statement appeared to be linked to a past reference Netanyahu has made before. Back in 2019, he had spoken about historian Will Durant’s book The Lessons of History, where similar ideas about power and history are discussed.
“This is one of the most disgusting anti-Christian comments I’ve heard from a world leader. Just another example of Netanyahu exposing his anti-Christian beliefs. And many Christians will again choose to ignore it,” one user wrote. Another said, “Netanyahu thinks Genghis Khan > Jesus Christ. Why is it always OK to say anti-Christian things?”
Israel acted alone on key Iran strike
Netanyahu revealed that Israel carried out the strike on Iran’s South Pars gas field on its own. He did not say whether Trump knew about it in advance. “Fact number one, Israel acted alone,” he said.
At the same time, he admitted that Trump later stepped in and asked Israel to pause further attacks on Iran’s energy sites. “President Trump asked us to hold off on future attacks, and we’re holding off.”
Earlier, Trump had also said the US “knew nothing” about that strike and made it clear he did not support targeting energy facilities.
Netanyahu also added how closely he and Trump are working together, calling their coordination unmatched. He described the US as the leading power in the partnership, while positioning Israel as a strong but supporting ally, even referring to it as a “model ally.”
Netanyahu rejects claim he misled the US
Benjamin Netanyahu strongly denied that he misled the United States into going to war with Iran, even as questions grow in America over the cost of the conflict. Responding to the question, raised around rising oil prices, attacks on US allies, and the deaths of American service members, Netanyahu said, “Well, I misled no one.”
Netanyahu insisted that Donald Trump made his own decision and fully understood the risks posed by Iran. “I didn’t have to convince President Trump,” he said. “He understood that. He explained it to me. I didn’t explain it to him.”
He added that their partnership is necessary to stop Iran from building nuclear weapons and long-range missiles. “I think that our partnership is the only way to avoid this catastrophic development.”
Netanyahu argued that choosing not to act would only make things worse. He warned that letting Iran continue unchecked could eventually put cities like New York and Los Angeles at risk.
On Trump: ‘He needed no convincing’
Netanyahu repeatedly said Trump did not need any push from Israel to act against Iran. He recalled a past meeting at Mar-a-Lago. Netanyahu added, “In his first term in office, he didn’t need any convincing, he said the Iranian nuclear deal was the worst deal that he’d ever seen. And he walked out of it. Right before his second term, before he was reelected, I went to see him in Mar-a-Lago. The first thing he said to me was, “Bibi, we’ve got to make sure that Iran doesn’t have nuclear weapons.” He said that to me. I didn’t say it to him. He didn’t need any convincing there either.
He even said the world “owes a debt” to Trump for leading the effort.
‘Iran has no nuclear or missile capability right now’
Netanyahu claimed that Iran has been hit hard during the war. “Iran today has no ability to enrich uranium, and no ability to produce ballistic missiles,” he said earlier in Hebrew. He also said the war will not stop until Israel achieves its goals. “We will crush them entirely,” he said.
Netanyahu laid out three clear goals for the war: He said Israel wants to remove Iran’s nuclear threat, destroy its ballistic missile programme, and create conditions where the Iranian people can take control of their future. He described Iran’s leadership as a long-time enemy. “This regime has waged war against America and Israel and the people of Iran for 47 years,” he said.
‘We are winning this war’
Netanyahu accused Iran of attacking not just Israel, but also US interests and other countries in the region. He listed Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE, and Oman, and even said Iran had acted through proxies in Cyprus and Europe. He also warned about the Strait of Hormuz, saying Iran is trying to threaten global oil routes.
Netanyahu insisted that Israel is ahead in the conflict. “Despite the fake news… we are winning, and Iran is being decimated.” He said Iran’s missile stockpiles, factories, and launch systems have been heavily damaged. According to him, Iran’s air force is “nearly destroyed,” its navy has sunk, and its command systems are in chaos.