A senior Israeli defence official assessed that “the security challenge is becoming more complex. In addition to the missiles and rockets, there are also attack drones and cruise missiles now”. He added that “as we speak, Arrow, Patriot, David's Sling, and Iron Dome batteries are ready for battle”.

Prime Minister Netanyahu contended that “Iran wants to develop nuclear weapons. It’s transgressing on its agreement and commitment. Iran wants to develop precision guided missiles that can hit any target in Israel within five to ten meters. It’s doing that. Iran wants to use Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen as bases to attack Israel with statistical missiles and precision-guided missiles.” He went on to assert that “to ward off this danger… you have to be strong militarily. And to be strong militarily, we have to shift now money from the civilian areas to the military areas”.

Speaking alongside U.S. Treasury Secretary Mnuchin, Prime Minister Netanyahu argued that “Iran is seeking to develop now precision-guided munitions, missiles that can hit any target in the Middle East with a circumference of five to ten metres. They are developing this in Iran. They want to place them in Iraq and in Syria, and to convert Lebanon’s arsenal of 130,000 statistical rockets to precision-guided munitions. They seek also to develop that, and have already begun to put that in Yemen, with the goal of reaching Israel from there, too”. He further asserted that “Iran is the single greatest threat to stability and peace in the Middle East”, and urged Mnuchin “to put even more” sanctions on Iran.

Israel’s military chief of staff assessed that “in the northern and southern arenas, the situation is tense and fragile and may deteriorate into conflict, despite the fact that our enemies are not interested in war. As a result, the IDF [Israel Defense Forces] has been accelerating its preparation process in recent months”.

U.S. Secretary of State Pompeo met with Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu in Jerusalem and discussed “all the efforts we’ve made to push back against the threat not only to Israel, but to the region and the world, from the Islamic Republic of Iran”.

Prime Minister Netanyahu remarked that “the current focus of aggression in the Middle East is the Iranian regime in Tehran. Iran is striving to tighten its grip in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen and the Gaza Strip”. “It is relentlessly arming itself”, Netanyahu continued. “It is equipping its proxies with dangerous weaponry. It is attacking freedom of navigation in international shipping lanes. It downed a large American UAV. It mounted a crude and unprecedented attack on Saudi oil fields. It has repeatedly crossed its threshold of brazenness… it has tried to attack us repeatedly; therefore, we must stand ready to defend ourselves against danger”. He further asserted that the Israeli military “is prepared to pre-empt any threat, defensively and offensively, with crushing strength, in weaponry and in spirit”.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that “Israel strongly condemns the Turkish invasion of the Kurdish areas in Syria and warns against the ethnic cleansing of the Kurds by Turkey and its proxies”. He added that “Israel is prepared to extend humanitarian assistance to the gallant Kurdish people”.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz announced that “recently I have been promoting, with the backing of the prime minister, a diplomatic initiative to sign ‘non-aggression agreements’ with the Arab Gulf states… it’s a historic move that will end the conflict and enable civilian cooperation until the signing of peace agreements”.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remarked that “we face a huge security challenge, which is growing week to week and strengthening in the last month to two months... Anyone with eyes in their head sees that Iran is increasingly arming itself, Iran is growing stronger. Its boldness, its audacity are on the rise”. He went on to assert that Iran “says in the clearest way, that is what their generals said, including two days ago, ‘Israel will disappear. This is not a theory. Israel will disappear’... They believe this. They are striving for this, and we need to take them seriously”. Netanyahu added that “this reality obligates us to become stronger. It obligates us to arm ourselves, our fighters and our soldiers, with defensive and offensive weapons on a scale, at an intensity and quality we have not had until now”.

IRGC Commander Hossein Salami declared that “any new war will lead to the total disappearance of this regime [Israel] from the world’s political geography”. He went on to say that “the evil regimes of the region also know that if they miscalculate the power of [Iran’s] establishment and revolution and [take] any unwise action, they will quickly be trapped on an uncontrollable and irreversible path of destruction”.

Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi, referring to a string of attacks against paramilitary facilities in the country, asserted that “some of the investigations carried out by Iraqi authorities provided important indications that Israel was behind some of these attacks”, though there was no “tangible evidence”.

IRGC Commander Hossein Salami declared that Israel “must be wiped off from the world geography in the second step [of the Islamic Revolution], and this is not an aspiration or dream anymore, but an achievable goal”. Salami added that “we can strike the enemy with any magnitude, any intensity, any accuracy, and over any area”.

President Rouhani posited that “we are not looking for war and killing others, but it is Israel that has repeatedly violated the sovereignty of its neighbours and, according to their own Prime Minister, they have carried out acts of aggression against Syria more than 200 times”. He added that “these acts are very dangerous and according to the UN Charter, the people of the region have the right to self-defence”.

Referring to the 14 September attacks against Saudi energy facilities, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu stated that “very simply: Iran did it. A to Z”.  He added that “Israel will know to defend itself against this type of aggression. And we call on all members of the international community to join President Trump's effort to increase the pressure on Iran. That's the only way to stop Iran's aggression”.

President Trump announced that he had “instructed the Secretary of the Treasury to substantially increase sanctions on the country of Iran”. Foreign Minister Zarif contended that the phrasing was an “admission that the U.S. is deliberately targeting ordinary citizens: economic terrorism, illegal and inhuman. Stop war and terror”. Prime Minister Netanyahu reacted by stating that “Iran’s aggression has increased of late, including in the Gulf, and this is precisely the time to increase pressure and sanctions”.

Prime Minister Netanyahu indicated that he and President Trump had “agreed to advance a historic defensive alliance between the U.S. and Israel at our upcoming meeting at the UN General Assembly”. “This is historic”, Netanyahu explained, “because it adds a powerful component of deterrence against our enemies, alongside maintaining the ability to act, and freedom of action, of our forces”.  

President Rouhani stated that Israel “has increased the number of its acts of aggression on the Syrian soil in recent months, and its officials have claimed responsibility for the aggressions and have extended their attacks to Iraq and Lebanon”. He further asserted that “these attacks are a clear example of provocative and illegal hostile acts that can cause widespread tension and conflict in the region”.

Following a meeting with Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, Prime Minister Netanyahu asserted that “the first issue is security, and this is maintaining freedom of action for the IDF, including the air force, in the face of Iran’s attempts to military entrench in our region against us. We are operating constantly and is important to prevent unnecessary collisions”. Netanyahu subsequently met with President Putin, remarking that “security coordination between us is always important but it is especially important at this time because last month saw a very serious upsurge in the number of attempts by Iran to attack Israel from Syrian territory, and also to place precision missiles there against us”. “From our point-of-view”, Netanyahu continued, “this is an intolerable threat and we are taking action; therefore, we must also ensure that the coordination between us prevents friction”.

En route to a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister Netanyahu remarked that “at this time, we are operating on several fronts, 360 degrees, in order to ensure the security of Israel in the face of the attempts of Iran and its proxies to attack us, and we are working against them. The Syrian arena is the main one… it is important that we continue to maintain freedom of action for the IDF, including the air force, against Iranian, Hizbollah and other terrorist targets”. Netanyahu added that “this trip is designed to continue this important cooperation, which prevents collisions between us and the Russian forces, and to continue to advance the common goal that we agree on, which has yet to be achieved and which is far from being achieved, and that is the withdrawal of Iran from Syria”.

Hizbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah contended that “we reject any war plans against the Iranian republic, because such a war will ignite the region and destroy countries and peoples. It will be a war against the entire axis of resistance”. He went on to say that “this supposed war will be the end of Israel and the American hegemony and presence in the region”.

The Israeli military announced that “a number of rockets were fired from Syria toward Israel overnight, all failing to hit Israeli territory”. It further asserted that “the rockets were launched by Shiite militias operating under the command of the Iranian Quds force. We hold the Syrian regime responsible for events taking place in Syria”.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revealed what he claimed was “another secret nuclear site… exposed in the archives that we brought from Tehran”. “In this site”, Netanyahu contended, “Iran conducted experiments to develop nuclear weapons”, adding that “when Iran realised that we uncovered the site… they destroyed the site. They just wiped it out”. He went on to warn Iran that “Israel knows what you’re doing, Israel knows when you’re doing it and Israel knows where you’re doing it. We will continue to expose your lies”. “The only way to stop Iran’s march to the bomb, and its aggression in the region”, Netanyahu concluded, “is pressure, pressure and more pressure”. Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif took to Twitter to say that “the possessor of real nukes cries wolf – on an alleged ‘demolished’ site in Iran”.

Hizbollah announced it had shot down an Israeli drone in Lebanese airspace and retrieved the debris; the IDF acknowledged losing a drone but disputed Hizbollah’s claim of downing it.

Prime Minister Netanyahu remarked that “I had an important meeting with U.S. Secretary of Defence Esper. We discussed the entire region from Iran, to Syria, Lebanon, Hizbollah and the various challenges and attacks against us, actions we took to thwart them, coordination we are called upon to make especially regarding Syria”.

Prime Minister Netanyahu remarked that “this morning we were informed of another violation, more defiance, by Iran, this time in its striving to attain nuclear weapons. This joins Iran’s aggressive acts against international shipping and against countries in the region, as well as its efforts to carry out murderous attacks against the State of Israel, efforts that have not ceased”. He further asserted that “this is not the time to hold talks with Iran; this is the time to increase the pressure on Iran”.

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu commended “remarks by the foreign ministers of Bahrain and the UAE against Hizbollah’s aggression”, and praised the U.S. for imposing sanctions against “the bank that provides Hizbollah with most of its funds”. He further remarked that “I defined three main goals for the IDF and the security arms in the following order: First of all, to stop and prevent the Iranian nuclear project. Second, to prevent Iran from supplying our enemies and its proxies, such as Hizbollah and others, with precision weapons that endanger us. And third, to prevent Iran and its proxies from entrenching on our borders”. Netanyahu added that “in effect, we are acting vis-à-vis all of these goals, in part openly and a considerable part covertly. We are determined to maintain the security of Israel”.

The Israeli military published imagery of an alleged Hizbollah site in the Beqaa within which, it posited, “is Iranian-supplied machinery used to manufacture precision-guided missiles”.

One day after the Israeli military and Hizbollah exchanged fire, Prime Minister Netanyahu remarked that “we acted yesterday with determination and responsibility. We maintained the security of our citizens and the safety of our soldiers. The man in the bunker in Beirut [i.e. Hizbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah] knows exactly why he is in a bunker”. Netanyahu added that “we will continue to do everything necessary in order to maintain the security of Israel – on land and sea, and in the air, and we will continue to act against the threat of precision-guided missiles”. In remarks the same day, Nasrallah contended that “we’ve punished the enemy” and suggested “the start of a new stage of the situation at the border”. He went on to say that “we have a new target, which is the Israeli drones… we will confront these drones in the Lebanese skies”. Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson condemned what he described as Israel’s “blatant breach” of Lebanese sovereignty.

President Rouhani spoke by phone with his French counterpart and asserted that “if Europe cannot put its commitments into operation, Iran will take the third step in reducing its JCPOA commitments, which of course will be reversible”. He additionally underscored “that the continuation of negotiations for settling problems is the right decision and we need to continue along this path until we reach a desired point”. Rouhani also told Macron that “the leaders of the Zionist regime [i.e. Israel] have made countless miscalculations towards other countries like Iran, Iraq, Lebanon and Syria, and they are announcing their acts of aggression proudly instead of apologising”.

Prime Minister Netanyahu told French President Macron that “Israel would defend itself against aggression against it and prevent its enemies who seek its destruction from arming themselves with lethal weaponry”. He further noted that “those who provide shelter for aggression and arming will not be immune. Netanyahu also advised Macron that “the present – when Iran is stepping up its aggression in the region – is precisely the wrong time to talk with Iran”.

Lebanese Prime Minister Hariri reportedly told the UN Secretary-General “that Israel is fully responsible of its unjustified attack on a populated residential area in the Beirut suburbs, unprecedented since 2006”. He further asserted that “this unacceptable act threatens the stability and calm that have been prevailing on the international borders for 13 years and warned that any escalation by Israel threatens to drag the region into a conflict with unpredictable consequences”.

The Israeli military published the names and photos of three individuals whom it said where “Iranian commanders… working on a secret project with Hizbollah to manufacture precision-guided missiles to attack Israel”. Prime Minister Netanyahu asserted that “we will not stand to the side and allow our enemies to acquire deadly weapons to use against us. This week, I already told our enemies to be careful with their actions. Now I am telling them: Dir balak [watch out]”.

In a statement, Iraq’s Foreign Ministry announced that it “rejects and condemns the Bahraini Foreign Minister’s tweet about the recent attacks on Arab territories and the Popular Mobilisation Forces by Zionist enemy [i.e. Israel] under the pretext of self-defence”.

Secretary of State Pompeo underscored that the Trump administration has been “incredibly supportive [of Israel]. Each time Israel has been forced to take actions to defend itself, the U.S. has made very clear that that country has not only the right but the duty to protect its own people.  And we are always supportive of their efforts to do that”. Pompeo added that “we’re constantly… making sure that we collectively have defence systems capabilities that are appropriate for their needs”.  

The Treasury Department announced sanctions against “financial facilitators responsible for moving tens of millions of dollars between Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force and Hamas’ operational arm”. In a press statement, Secretary of State Pompeo indicated that “today’s designation reflects our determination to counter Iran’s malign influence and the financial, material, or technological support, or financial or other services to or in support of Hamas”. The Treasury Department also sanctioned Jammal Trust Bank in Lebanon, along with its subsidiaries, asserting that it “knowingly facilitates banking activities for Hizbollah”. Secretary Pompeo said the bank’s “misconduct undermines the integrity of the Lebanese financial system”, adding that “today’s designation deflects our determination to counter Hizbollah’s terrorist and illicit activities in Lebanon”.  Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu praised “the important decision to impose sanctions on a Lebanese bank that serves as an Iranian financing arm for the Hizbollah terrorist organisation. This is an important step designed to put pressure on Iran and its proxies, which are acting against the State of Israel”.

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu stated that “I heard [Hizbollah chief Hassan] Nasrallah’s remarks. I suggest that Nasrallah relax. He knows very well that the State of Israel knows how to defend itself and how to pay back its enemies”. Netanyahu continued by saying that “I want to tell him and the Lebanese state, which is sheltering this organisation that aspires to destroy us, and I also say this to [Qods force commander] Qassem Soleimani: Be careful with your words and be even more careful with your actions”.

Iraq’s president, prime minister and parliamentary speaker met with Hashd officials in Baghdad. A statement from President Barham Salih’s office indicated that the participants “discussed the recent attack against PMF forces… [and] those in attendance agreed that these attacks are blatant, hostile acts aimed at undermining a strong and capable Iraqi government”.

Lebanese media claimed that Israel “last night executed three air raids that targeted the anti-Lebanon region… in central Bekaa, where military outposts for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine under the command of Ahmed Jebril are located”.

Prime Minister Netanyahu asserted that “Iran is operating on a broad front to carry out murderous terrorist attacks against the State of Israel. Israel will continue to defend its security however that may be necessary”. He also urged “the international community to act immediately so that Iran halts these attacks”.

Iraqi paramilitary forces announced that two members of the Hizbollah Brigades had been killed in a drone attack near the Iraq-Syria border. 

U.S. Secretary of State Pompeo and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu discussed Israel’s 24 August strikes in Syria, with Pompeo extending “support for Israel’s right to defend itself from threats posed by the IRGC and to take action to prevent imminent attacks against Israeli assets in the region”. The two also “discussed how Iran is leveraging its foothold in Syria to threaten Israel and its neighbours”, while Netanyahu “noted that Israel would strike IRGC targets threatening Israel, wherever they are located”.

The Lebanese military stated that “two Israeli enemy drones violated Lebanese airspace… the first drone crashed and the second drone exploded in the air causing material damages”. Hizbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah warned Israel that a response “may take place at any time on the borders and beyond the borders”.

The Israeli military announced that it had “prevented a pending, large-scale attack of multiple killer drones on Israel by striking Iranian Quds force operatives and Shiite militia targets in Syria”. Prime Minister Netanyahu asserted that “Iran’s Quds force dispatched a special unit of Shiite militants to Syria in order to kill Israelis on the Golan Heights with explosives-laden UAVs… this was an initiative of Iran, under the command of Iran, at the behest of Iran”. He went on indicate that “henceforth we will expose any attempt by Iran to attack us and any Iranian effort to hide behind this or that excuse”. “I would like to stress that we will not tolerate aggression against Israel from any country in the region”, Netanyahu added. “any country that allows its territory to be used to aggression against Israel will face the consequences”.

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu reiterated that “I don’t grant Iran immunity anywhere. Iran is a state, a power, that has sworn to annihilate Israel. It’s trying to establish bases against us everywhere. In Iran itself, in Lebanon, in Syria, in Iraq, in Yemen”. Netanyahu went on to say that “we’re acting not only if necessary, we’re acting in very many theatres against a state that seeks to annihilate us. Obviously I’ve given the security forces the order and the operation freedom to do what is necessary in order to disrupt these plots by Iran”.

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu indicated that “Iran has no immunity, anywhere… we will act – and currently are acting – against them, wherever it is necessary”.

Hizbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah stated that “I tell the Israeli enemy that if you enter the south [of Lebanon]… your army will be defeated and your vehicles will be destroyed”. He further contended that “today Israel doesn’t consider waging a war on Lebanon because it is aware of its power of deterrence and because it is aware that any war on Lebanon would not only be against Hizbollah but it would explode the whole region”. “A war on Iran is a war on the resistance in the whole region”, Nasrallah added. The following day Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu asserted that “we are not impressed by Nasrallah's threats. He knows very well why he broadcasts them from the depths of his bunker”.

Syrian state media reported that “Syrian air defences intercepted a hostile target coming from [the] north of Lebanon, and destroyed it before reaching its target” in Hama province.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei asserted that “the stratagem of the ‘Deal of the Century’ prepared by the oppressive U.S., and its treasonous cohorts, is a crime against the society of humankind, and not just the Palestinian nation”. He further called “everyone to active participation in overcoming this stratagem by the enemy”. Secretary of State Pompeo hit back at what he described as Khamenei’s “faux concern for the Palestinian people”, adding that “it’s sick that on the eve of Tisha B’av – a solemn day for the Jewish people – Khamenei calls for violence against the Jewish state”. “Khamenei doesn’t see ‘progress’ as prosperity for the Palestinian people”, Pompeo continued, “but Palestinian terrorists switching from rocks to rockets to kill more Jews. The Iranian people don’t want this; they deserve leadership behaviours that reflect their greatness”.

Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson called Israel’s involvement in a U.S.-led maritime security initiative “a clear threat to Iran's national security”, and asserted that “Iran reserves the right to counter this threat within the framework of the country's defence policy”. “Responsibility for all the consequences of this dangerous act would lie with the American regime and the illegitimate Zionist regime”, he added.

IRGC Commander Hossein Salami remarked that “a power… has been shaped in Syria, Lebanon, Palestine and elsewhere, and the enemy is mindful that any new war may pose a full-blown threat against the Zionist regime [i.e. Israel] and put it in the path to an irreversible collapse”. Salami went on to content that “a number of U.S. allies in the region were encouraging the U.S. to wage a war [on Iran], but they realized that a war with Iran would threaten their political systems, so they remained silent”. He added that “I am confident that today, the Zionists and regional allies are not interested in a war, because they know that the geography of such war would be broad, and they know the result”.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz reportedly indicated that “Israel was assisting the [U.S. maritime security] mission with intelligence and other unspecified fields”. 

Israel’s UN envoy, Danny Danon, posited that “Hamas officials just left Tehran with reportedly an increase to $30 million per month in support. Despite lacking food or medicine, Iran/Hamas evidently have plenty of money for terror”. Dannon added that “Israel is determined to act against all branches of Iran’s terror operations”.

Syrian state media reported that Israel had “launched an assault with a rocket… in the western countryside of Quneitra province, causing material damage only”. Relatedly, Prime Minister Netanyahu asserted that “on the northern front we are acting against Iran and Hizbollah and you are hearing about this these days as well. This is the iron wall”.

Unconfirmed media reports claimed that Israel had on 19 July and 28 July struck Iran-linked facilities in Iraq.

Syrian state media reported that Israel had launched strikes in south-western Syria; no casualties was reported.

Prime Minster Netanyahu asserted that "we are prepared to embark on a campaign, an extensive military operation to strike at Hamas and Islamic Jihad, a military strike such as they have not yet received”. He further stated that “I cannot go into details but those who are involved in these preparations, who are sitting here today, know very well that these are not mere words”.

At a meeting with U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry, Prime Minster Netanyahu asserted that U.S. “sanctions have begun to work, and it’s important that they continue to work”. “It’s important to keep up the pressure”, Netanyahu added. “If I had to say what are the three things that we have to do in the face of Iranian aggression, it is pressure, pressure and more pressure to force Iran to abandon its nuclear and regional ambitions”. He went on to state that “we cannot allow Iran to disrupt the flow of oil in international waters, and again, I think the first requirement is the application of still greater pressure on Iran. I would not show any hesitation. I’m a leader who’s shown judicious use of force, and I think in this case, the judicious use of pressure is what is required”.

Prime Minister Netahyahu contended that “without Israel, without the things that we do and the things that we stand for and the things that we protect, I think the entire Middle East would collapse to the forces of Islamic radicalism, whether Shiite led by Iran or Sunni radicalism led by ISIS”.

Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei met with a delegation of senior Hamas officials in Tehran.

Prime Minister Netanyahu remarked that “In Operation Northern Shield, we neutralised the terrorist tunnels that Hizbollah had dug into our territory over the years. I do not want to expand here on the other actions that we are taking. The surprise will come in its time. We do not rejoice in war, but if it is forced on us we will strike the enemy decisively”. Netanyahu added that “we are working without respite to thwart Iran’s efforts to channel funds and weapons to Hizbollah…without the Iranian oxygen pipeline, Hizbollah could not exist for very long.”. He went on to say that “if we have to stand alone against Iran and its proxies – we will do so. Thus we have acted in Syria in order to prevent Iranian forces from entrenching themselves there. We will not allow a second Lebanon in Syria”. “The principle that has guided my government is simple”, Netanyahu asserted. “Whoever rises up to kill you, prevent him from arming himself, especially with advanced, equilibrium-changing weapons”.

Prime Minister Netanyahu told a visiting French delegation that “it's very important that France and the rest of Europe… declare Hizbollah as a terrorist group. It's the major terrorist organization in the Middle East and in the world, and it's operating terrorists on European soil”.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke by phone with President Trump about “regional developments and security issues especially Iran”. Netanyahu welcomed “President Trump’s intention to increase the sanctions on Iran”.

Speaking against the backdrop of an F-35 during a visit to a military base, Prime Minister Netanyahu stated that “recently, Iran has been threatening the destruction of Israel. It would do well to remember that these planes can reach anywhere in the Middle East, including Iran and certainly Syria”. Speaking a few days later, Iranian Defence Minister Amir Hatami warned that "enemies’ aggression against Iran’s territorial integrity, at any level, will receive a severe response”.

At the Christians United For Israel summit, Secretary of State Pompeo remarked that “we’ve implemented the strongest pressure campaign in history against the Iranian regime, and we are not done. We’ve cut off billions in funds that the Islamic Republic of Iran’s leadership would have used for various nefarious purposes, not the least of which would have been their efforts to destroy the state of Israel”. Pompeo added that “it is also the case that under President Trump, the Israel haters such as Hamas and Hizbollah and Islamic Jihad receive far less blood money from Iran to pursue their terrorism than ever in recent history”. National Security Advisor John Bolton also stated that “ we will continue to increase the pressure on the Iranian regime until it abandons its nuclear weapons program and ends its violent activities across the Middle East, including conducting and supporting terrorism around the world”.

Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke by phone with his Russian President Vladimir Putin, discussing “Iran, Syria and bilateral relations”.

Prime Minister Netanyahu stated that “the [2015 nuclear] deal was always based on a lie: that Iran was not seeking nuclear weapons… in fact, it failed to solve the one problem it was supposed to solve. Now, it made other problems worse by removing sanctions on Iran, thereby helping Iran fuel its war machine in the region”. He added that “it’s so important that President Trump decided boldly to leave this bad deal, and he decided to restore sanctions… now Iran is trying to lash out to reduce the pressure. They attack tankers, they down American drones, they’re firing missiles at their neighbours. It’s important to respond to these actions not by reducing the pressure, but by increasing the pressure”.  Netanyahu also asserted that “we should stand up to Iran’s aggression now. And Europe should back the sanctions instituted by President Trump. We certainly did”.

After Iran announced it would exceed uranium enrichment levels set in the 2015 nuclear agreement, Prime Minister Netanyahu stated that “Iran has violated its solemn promise under the UN Security Council not to enrich uranium beyond a certain level. The enrichment of uranium is made for one reason and one reason only: It’s for the creation of atomic bombs”. “The leaders of the P5+1 promised and committed themselves to snap back sanctions the minute Iran did that”, Netanyahu continued. “It just did. Where are you?”

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz remarked that “Israel will not allow Iran to obtain nuclear weapons, even if has to act alone on that.” He added warned that “mistakes [by Iran] in the grey area will lead it to the red zone – a war in which it will be hit hard”. Katz also contended that “feeding the Iranian tiger will not help; only an aggressive policy and sanctions and support for the U.S. policy will quickly show that it is a paper tiger”.

After Iran announced that it had exceeded a JCPOA limit on its stockpile of low-enriched uranium, Prime Minister Netanyahu stated that “Iran is taking a significant step toward producing nuclear weapons”. Netanyahu further promised that “soon will be revealed additional proofs that Iran has been lying this whole time”. He went on to pledge that “Israel will not allow Iran to develop nuclear weapons”, and urged European countries to implement UN sanctions against Iran.

The head of Israel’s foreign intelligence service declared that “we can’t agree to Syria becoming a staging ground for Iranian forces or forces operated by it against us. We can’t agree to Syria becoming a logistics base for transferring weapons to Hizbollah and Lebanon. Israel has taken action in the past four years, overtly and covertly, about which only a small amount has been published, in order to block the entrenchment and the production lines of precision-guided munitions”. The Mossad chief added that “thanks to this effort, I believe the Iranians will reach the conclusion that it’s not worth it for them”. He also indicated that “Iran and Hizbollah are asking to move their bases to northern Syria, an area that they mistakenly believe will be difficult for us to reach. In addition, they are establishing bases and precision missile facilities in Iraq… and Lebanon”.

The head of Israel’s foreign intelligence service blamed Iran for the tanker incidents in the Gulf of Oman and an attack on the Bahrain’s embassy in Iraq, contending that “with certainty, based on the best sources of both Israeli and Western espionage… Iran is behind these attacks. They were approved by Iranian leadership and carried out, in large part, by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its proxies”.

Syrian state media reported that Israel struck military targets in Homs and near Damascus, killing four and injuring 21.

Prime Minister Netanyahu remarked that “the Iranian regime is suffering. It's trying to use its proxies to 'pin prick' in the Persian Gulf, and escalate the situation in Syria. We have to resist”. He went on to say that “we know something about this region. Iran single greatest threat on the horizon, they must not be allowed to get nuclear weapons. Going back to the JCPOA means giving Iran nuclear weapons. I will not let that happen”.

At a trilateral meeting of U.S., Russian and Israeli National Security advisers, Prime Minister Netanyahu, remarked that “Israel has acted hundreds of times to prevent Iran from entrenching itself militarily in Syria, while it actively and openly calls and works for our destruction. We have acted hundreds of times to prevent Iran from delivering increasingly sophisticated weaponry to Hizbollah, or to form a second front in the north against us from the Golan Heights”. He added that “Israel will continue to prevent Iran from using neighbouring territory as platforms to attack us, and Israel will respond forcefully to any such attacks”. U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton stated that “it is not a question about a disagreement about the outcome, but a mutual effort to find a way to make it happen”.

Prime Minister Netanyahu reaffirmed that “Israel will not allow Iran, which calls for our destruction, to entrench on our border; we will do everything to prevent it from attaining nuclear weapons”.

In Israel, U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton stated that "neither Iran nor any other hostile actor should mistake U.S. prudence and discretion for weakness". He also indicated that in meetings with senior Israel officials “we reaffirmed our shared priority of confronting Iranian aggression throughout the region by continuing maximum economic pressure and increasing the cost of Iran’s malign activity”. Prime Minister Netanyahu asserted that “thanks to crippling American sanctions, Iran is facing unprecedented economic pressure as a result of its aggression”, adding that “I was pleased to hear President Trump make clear yesterday that pressure will continue and that pressure will increase”.

Prime Minister Netanyahu declared that “in the last 24 hours, Iran has intensified its aggression against the U.S. and against all of us. I repeat my call for all peace-loving countries to stand by the U.S. in its effort to stop Iranians’ aggression. Israel stands by the United States on this”.

At a military exercise, Prime Minister Netanyahu warned that “I hear our neighbours from the north, south and east threatening our destruction. I say to our enemies: The IDF [Israel Defense Forces] has very great destructive power. Don’t test us.”

After Iran indicated that it was days away from exceeding JCPOA limits on enriched uranium, Prime Minister Netanyahu declared that “should Iran deliver on its current threats, and violate the nuclear deal, the international community will have to implement, immediately, the pre-set sanctions mechanism ... in any event, Israel will not allow Iran to get nuclear weaponry”. 

According to the Israeli military, a drone entered Israeli airspace from Lebanon and subsequently withdrew back behind the frontier. 

Syria state media reported that the military "confronted an Israeli missile aggression" near the Golan Heights. Later in the day, Prime Minister Netanyahu contended that "the chain of tests that we are dealing with is unending. We respond vigorously and with force to all attacks against us; however, we do not take action only after the fact. We deny the enemy's capabilities before the fact". Netanyahu added that "we are acting methodically and consistently to prevent our enemies from establishing offensive bases against us in our vicinity". 

A senior Israeli military official maintained that "Hizbollah's loyalty was and remains to the Supreme Leader of Iran, not to the citizens of Lebanon. As a direct result of this, the nation of Lebanon will pay a heavy price in the next campaign for cooperating with Shiite terror". He went to pledge that "Israel will not allow [Hizbollah] to fulfill its plans and the destructive ambitions that it and its patron Iran have... we will continue to thwart Hizbollah's efforts to threaten our security both overtly and covertly, as necessary. And if a war is forced upon [us], we will exact a heavy price from this organisation and from those who provide it cover - wherever is necessary".

Responding to comments by Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, who earlier in the day contended that Prime Minister "Netanyahu has said that they will destroy Iran", Netanyahu riposted that "Zarif is lying - again. Iran is the one that openly threatens, every day, to destroy the State of Israel. Iran continues to entrench itself militarily in Syria. And today, the IAEA reports that Iran is accelerating its nuclear program". "I repeat", Netanyahu added, "Israel will not allow Iran to develop nuclear weapons that threaten our existence and endanger the entire world". 

In a conversation with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was travelling to Tehran the following week, Prime Minister Netanyahu stressed "that pressure on Iran must continue in order to block its aggression in the region".

Prime Minister Netanyahu declared that "it's very clear Iran is lying. Iran is continuing to work towards an arsenal of nuclear bombs, and we're committed to stop it". 

Following reports that Israel provided intelligence purportedly implicating Iran in the 12 May tanker attacks, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif maintained that "Mossad is fabricating intelligence... I've warned of 'accidents' and false flags - we know what happens when you believe their lies". 

A senior Israeli defence official assessed that "Iran is under growing pressure that is forcing it to take actions connected to oil and its nuclear project - though for now there are no changes to its policies". Referring to Hizbollah, he indicated that "to the best of our understanding, their capabilities, their missiles, are still not precise". 

U.S. Secretary of State Pompeo remarked that President Trump "has made very clear that that's important to this administration to have that important political, economic and security relationship with Israel. And we've struggled more with respect to the Palestinians. We've watched their terror activity in the Gaza Strip, and we've pushed back against it. We've watched Iran underwrite some of that, and we've pushed back against that". 

Syrian media reported "an Israeli aggression on the T-4 airport" that led to three casualties as well as "damage to an ammo depot and material damage to some structures and equipment". 

Prime Minister Netanyahu asserted that "Iran transfers $700 million to Hizbollah per annum", part of which "is transferred under diplomatic cover, by seemingly innocent means, to Lebanon and from there to Hizbollah". "These enormous amounts fuel the relentless aggression by Iran and its proxies in the region", Netanyahu continued. He added that "while we do not make light of Iran's threats, neither are we deterred by them because anyone who tries to hurt us will be hurt far worse... we proved it just last night". 

The leader of the Gaza political bureau of Hamas, Yahya Sinwar, reportedly indicated that “Iran provided us with rockets… had it not been for Iran, the resistance in Palestine would not have possessed its current capabilities”.

The Israeli military published video footage of a Hizbollah tunnel, noting that it was “the longest and most significant” of the other five that they had found since January 2019.

Syrian state media claimed that Israel had targeted a military site in Quneitra, adding that the “aggression claimed the life of one soldier and injured another one”.

In remarks at the celebration of Israel’s 71st Independence Day, Secretary Pompeo noted that the U.S. had supported Israel’s security "by applying maximum pressure against the single greatest threat to stability and security in the Middle East, and indeed, stability and security in Israel – the Islamic Republic of Iran". The Israeli envoy in Washington, Ron Dermer, argued that the U.S. exit from the JCPOA in May 2018 constituted “the most important decision affecting Israel’s future that the Trump administration made this past year”. “A year ago, an Iranian regime that vows and works to destroy Israel felt the wind at their backs and believed history was on their side”, Dermer remarked. “Today, that same evil regime faces hurricane force headwinds and fear falling into history’s dustbin”. He went on to thank the U.S. government “for rejecting the path of appeasement, standing up to Iran’s aggression and terror, and confronting the most anti-Semitic regime on the planet”. 

Syrian state media reported that the military's "aerial defences intercepted unidentified objects" inbound from Israel. 

Syrian state media reported that the military had "intercepted hostile targets coming from the direction of Quneitra." 

In an article on the March 2019 U.S. decision to recognise Israel's sovereignty in the Golan Heights, Secretary Pompeo argued that Syria "is a client of Iran and one of the most brutal regimes on earth", adding that "if Israel doesn't maintain control of the Golan, Iran, the world's largest state sponsor of terror, or one of its proxies, will gain the strategic high ground". 

Prime Minister Netanyahu asserted that "there is a new efflorescence, a new renaissance of relations between us and many of our Arab neighbours, and many non-Arab Muslim countries. We are united in our desire to stop Iranian aggression". "Israel and all the countries of the region and all the countries who seek peace in the world should stand together with the U.S. against Iranian aggression", Netanyahu added. 

Israeli Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz posited that "things are undoubtedly heating up, and Iran - over the last few weeks - has come under 'atomic' pressure. The economic sanctions are breaking the neck of the Iranian economy and there is now an additional, even more powerful wave of American sanctions. We are starting to see the Iranians lose their balance". Steinitz also assessed that "if there is some sort of conflagration between Iran and the U.S., between Iran and its neighbours, I'm not ruling out that they will activate Hizbollah and Islamic Jihad from Gaza, or even that they will try to fire missiles from Iran at the State of Israel". 

In comments after Iran announced it would curb its compliance with the 2015 nuclear agreement, Prime Minister Netanyahu stated that "this morning... I heard that Iran intends to pursue its nuclear program. We will not allow Iran to achieve nuclear weaponry. We will continue to fight those who would kill us". 

Amidst an escalation between Israel and Palestinian factions in Gaza, the IDF announced that it had targeted an individual whom it claimed was "responsible for transferring Iranian funds to Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Gaza, helping fund their rocket fire at Israelis". 

In a speech on the occasion of Holocaust Remembrance Day, Prime Minister Netanyahu declared that "in the face of Iran, our policy is clear: in the military field - an aggressive containment of Iran's attempts to establish itself militarily near our borders. And in the political arena - pressure, pressure and more pressure". "In the face of threats of annihilation", Netanyahu continued, "Israel will not extend its neck to slaughter... we are capable and determined to defend ourselves, by ourselves". 

Prime Minister Netanyahu asserted that the U.S. decision to end oil waivers "is of great importance in increasing the pressure on the Iranian terrorist regime". He added that "we stand alongside the determination of the U.S. against the Iranian aggression and this is the right way to stop it".  

A senior Israeli military official assessed that "Hizbollah still has plans to invade the Galilee", and predicted that "we will thwart those plans". He also indicated that "in the area referred to as 'southern Syria', our operations have been very effective, and they have actually pushed the Iranians out... in those places, Iran's presence is so weak it's almost nonexistent".  

Prime Minister Netanyahu declared that "we are determined to defend our land - even in the face of our greatest and bitterest of foes, who inscribe our destruction on their banners". "We will continue to act on all fronts", he added, "including in the north, because we are not prepared to allow anybody to entrench in strength and endanger the State of Israel". 

Citing military sources, Syrian state media reported that "warplanes of the Israeli enemy conducted an airstrike from Lebanese airspace on one of the military positions" in Hama province. The report acknowledged three casualties as well as "the destruction of some buildings". 

Prime Minister Netanyahu's office confirmed that President Trump had been in touch "to congratulate [Netanyahu] on his election victory", further noting that Netanyahu had thanked Trump for "the strong stand against the Iranian regime, including the President's recent decision against the Iranian Revolutionary Guards". 

Unnamed U.S. sources revealed that during Secretary Pompeo's visit to Israel in March, Prime Minister Netanyahu shared intelligence indicating "that Hizbollah and Iran have set up a new covert factory for precision missiles on Lebanese soil". Pomepo had, during his subsequent stay in Beirut, conveyed these findings to the Lebanese government.

Prime Minister Netanyahu asserted that "we are operating on several fronts simultaneously. Not far from here are the Golan Heights, our sovereignty over which was recognised by President Trump three days ago... beyond the Golan Heights is Syria, and also Iran. Iran is constantly trying to bring precision long-range missiles, which are very advanced and very lethal, into Syria". "We are not prepared to accept this", Netanyahu continued, "and our activity against Iran's attempt to entrench militarily in Syria, to bring in advanced weaponry, is continuing all the time". 

Syrian state media reported "an Israeli air aggression" in Aleppo, claiming that "army air defences... downed a number of the hostile missiles". 

In remarks to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), Prime Minister Netanyahu praised President Trump's recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, asserting that Trump "made history" while underscoring that the Golan "is indispensable for our defence". Netanyahu went on to declare that "I have a message to all the anti-Semites out there - whether they live in modern Persia, in the palaces of Tehran or the bunkers of Beirut... the Jewish people do not bow down. We stand up. We fight. And we win". 

In remarks to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), Secretary Pompeo stated that "the Trump administration and my team at the State Department is confronting the world's number one proponent of anti-Semitism, the Islamic Republic of Iran... we're enacted the strongest pressure campaign in history against Iran and its proxies, and they are feeling the pain". "Hassan Nasrallah, Hizbollah's terrorist-in-chief, recently begged for contributions from the very people in Lebanon that he and his Iranian masters have subjugated and terrorised", Pompeo added. "Hassan Nasrallah passing the tin cup around is good news". 

Meeting with President Trump at the White House, Prime Minister Netanyahu declared that "I have a simple message to Israel's enemies: We will do whatever we must do to defend our people and defend our state". Netanyahu also hailed President Trump's decision to recognise Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, stating that the "proclamation comes at a time when the Golan is more important than ever for our security, when Iran is trying to establish bases in Syria to strike at Israel. From across the border in Syria, Iran has launched drones into our airspace, missiles into our territory". 

Israel welcomed 22 March U.S. sanctions against "31 Iranian individuals and entities... linked to Iran's nuclear proliferation-sensitive activities". In a statement, Prime Minister Netanyahu stressed that "Iran continues to deceive the international community and lie to the world about its military nuclear program. The Iranian regime continues to conceal its capabilities and to strive for nuclear weapons". "Iran", Netanyahu added, "endangers the peace of the Middle East and the entire world and must be blocked". 

Responding to a reporter who asked whether "President Trump right now has been sort of raised for such a time as this, just like Queen Esther, to help save the Jewish people from the Iranian menace", Secretary Pompeo opined that "I certainly believe that's possible". 

In an encounter with Prime Minister Netanyahu in Jerusalem, Secretary of State Pompeo posited that "the ayatollahs have spent four decades spewing hatred, supporting terrorist violence and pursuing nuclear weapons for a war against a neighbour that wishes nothing more than to live in peace. The ayatollah [i.e Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei] has declared that the annihilation and destruction of Israel is his primary goal". "With such threats, a daily reality of Israeli life", Pompeo continued, "we maintain our unparalleled commitment to Israel's security and firmly support your right to defend yourself". 

Meeting with Secretary of State Pompeo in Jerusalem, Prime Minister Netanyahu praised President Trump's withdrawal from the JCPOA and the imposition of U.S. sanctions against Iran. "What we see is that this pressure is working", Netanyahu remarked. "We need to increase it. We need to expand it. And together, the U.S. and Israel are working in close coordination to roll back Iranian aggression in the region and around the world". "I think there are ways that will intensify the pressure even more", he added. Netanyahu went on to indicate that "we will continue to take action as needed against the attempts of Iran to entrench itself militarily with dangerous weapons in Syria. There is no limitation to our freedom of action, and we appreciate very much the fact that the U.S. backs up our actions as we do them". "You can imagine what would have happened if Israel were not in the Golan", he continued. "We would have Iran on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. It's time that the international community recognises Israel's stay in the Golan, the fact that the Golan will always remain part of the State of Israel".

Following Prime Minister Netanyahu's 6 March remarks indicating the Israeli "navy will have a more important role in efforts to block" alleged Iranian sanctions-busting by sea, Iran's UN mission wrote to the Security Council warning that Tehran "will not hesitate to use its inherent right to self-defence in case of any hostile measure by the Israeli regime". 

An Iranian spokesperson rubbished suggestions that Tehran had hacked an Israeli election candidate's mobile phone, arguing that Israel and the U.S. were "seeking to maximise pressure on Iran because of their hostility, malice and [their goal] to promote Iranophobia". 

Ahead of a visit by U.S. Secretary of State Pompeo to Israel, Prime Minister Netanyahu indicated that "I will discuss with him our efforts to thwart the military entrenchment of Iran in Syria and - above all - we will discuss the efforts to prevent Iran from attaining nuclear weapons". 

Israeli intelligence assessed that Iran may have breached the personal communication of a leading opposition candidate in the April elections.

After a tit-for-tat between Israel and Hamas, Secretary Pompeo tweeted that "once again, Israeli citizens are under attack from terrorists in Gaza, armed and financed by their puppet masters in Tehran". "We stand by our ally", Pompeo declared. "Israel has the right to protect its citizens". 

One week after Prime Minister Netanyahu indicated that "Iran is trying to bypass the sanctions on it through covert smuggling of petroleum via the sea" and warned that Israel's "navy will have a more important role in efforts to block these Iranian actions", Iran's Defence Minister, Amir Hatami, stated that "if they [i.e Israel] have this intention, the issue will be considered as a measure of international insecurity and banditry". Hatami went on to say that "Iran enjoys the required capability to respond to this issue and if it happens, it will give a crushing response". 

Prime Minister Netanyahu reiterated that "we are continuing to take vigorous action against Iran's attempts to entrench militarily in Syria". 

Prime Minister Netanyahu indicated that "Iran is trying to bypass the sanctions on it through covert smuggling of petroleum via the sea. As these attempts expand, the navy will have a more important role in efforts to block these Iranian actions". He went on to "call on the international community to halt, by any means, Iran's attempts to bypass the sanctions via the sea". 

Briefing the cabinet about his 27 February meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, Prime Minister Netanyahu remarked that "the focus of our discussions was the Iranian issue. I made it unequivocally clear that Israel will not allow the military entrenchment of Iran in Syria, and I also made it unequivocally clear that we would continue to take military action against it". "We agreed on the continuation of the security coordination mechanism between the Russia military and the IDF", Netanyahu continued, adding that "President Putin and I also agreed on a common goal - the withdrawal of foreign forces that arrived in Syria after the outbreak of the civil war. We agreed to establish a joint team to advance this goal, together with other elements".  

Prime Minister Netanyahu posited that "Israel will not allow Hamas to attack Israel's sovereignty and its people, and will maintain the right of self-defence. IDF soldiers will continue to vigorously defend Israeli citizens against attacks by Hamas and the [other] terrorist organisations financed by Iran, which declares its intention to destroy Israel". 

In Moscow, Prime Minister Netanyahu told President Putin that "the greatest threat to stability and security in the region comes from Iran and its proxies. We are determined to continue our vigorous action against the attempts by Iran, which calls for our destruction, including its attempts to entrench militarily in Syria". 

En route to Moscow for talks with President Putin, Prime Minister Netanyahu indicated that "from our point of view, the focus of the talks will be preventing Iran from entrenching in Syria, the entrenchment of a country which explicitly says that its goal is to wipe us out. You know that when I say we are acting against this, these are no empty words". "I will go into details with President Putin... to ensure that the Russian military and the IDF coordinate in such a manner as to prevent friction and clashes between us", Netanyahu added. "This has succeeded up to now and it is important that is also succeed in the future". 

Previewing a trip to Moscow, Prime Minister Netanyahu indicated that "the focus of our talks will be the Iranian entrenchment in Syria. We are taking action against it; we are attacking their bases. We will continue to take action against it. This is what I will discuss with the [Russian] President [Vladimir Putin]". Netanyahu added that "we will continue to act until we get the Iranians to leave Syria because Iran is threatening to destroy Israel and we will not allow it a base close to our border". 

Prime Minister Netanyahu reacted to Foreign Minister Javad Zarif's resignation by saying "Zarif is gone, good riddance. As long as I'm here, Iran will not have nuclear weapons". 

Prime Minister Netanyahu remarked that "yesterday, we heard a senior Iranian official say 'Iran has achieved 90 per cent of its goals in Syria'. This is incorrect. It is correct that they are trying and it is correct that we are blocking them. Last month another Iranian official said that they are only 'advising' Syria. The world hears very many Iranian lies". "I have a clear message to the Iranian regime that wants to destroy Israel", Netanyahu continued. "Israel will continue to act as necessary in order to block Iranian military entrenchment in Syria". 

Prime Minister Netanyahu updated his cabinet on the Ministerial to Promote a Future of Peace and Security in the Middle East, reflecting that "there was an historic change at this conference of great importance to Israel: there were 60 foreign ministers and envoys from countries there, including Arab countries with which we do not have relations, who sat together with Israel and took the stand that we set against Iran". "I told them that the Iranian aggression is the main factor undermining the Middle East and the entire world", Netanyahu continued, "and that we must prevent Iran from attaining nuclear weapons and block its military entrenchment in Syria. We will continue to act at all times in order to ensure the security of Israel". 

In an interview with Voice of America's Persian service, Prime Minister Netanyahu indicated that "my concern is not that Iran violates the [nuclear] deal. My concern is that Iran keeps the deal... because I think it paves the way to the nuclear arsenal". "The deal produced megabucks, enormous, a cornucopia of riches", he added. "Where is it? Where's the money? Why are the people of Iran suffering? Because this regime is squandering that money on foreign aggression". Asked about the impact of sanction on Iran's support for regional allies, Netanyahu asserted that "the money is drying out... the deprivation of the money means that they have to cut back both for Hizbollah, the Huthis and Hamas - the 'three H's" - but also in Syria they're cutting back because they don't have it". On Israel's campaign against Iran inside Syria, Netanyahu assessed that it had "by and large" succeeded, but "not completely... they're still there, but they would have been in a much greater presence if we hadn't done it. And in fact, the presence has shrunken somewhat". 

Prime Minister Netanyahu's office posted, then removed, a video clip taken during the Ministerial to Promote a Future of Peace and Security in the Middle East showing senior officials from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the UAE criticising Iran. These comments included Bahrain's foreign minister suggesting that "we grew up talking about the Israel-Palestine issue as the most important issue... but then, at a later stage, we saw a bigger challenge, we saw a more toxic one - in fact the more toxic one in our history - that came from the Islamic Republic". "This is the challenge we have to face in order to deal with other challenges", the foreign minister added. The footage also showed a senior Saudi official concluding with respect to Iran that "any attempt to be nice to them, if anything, encourages them rather then discourages them".  

On the second day of the Ministerial to Promote a Future of Peace and Security in the Middle East, Prime Minister Netanyahu told Secretary Pompeo that "yesterday was a historical turning point. In a room of some 60 foreign ministers and representatives of dozens of governments, an Israeli prime minister and the foreign ministers of the leading Arab countries stood together and spoke with unusual force, clarity and unity against the common threat of the Iranian regime". Pompeo subsequently remarked that "you can't achieve peace and stability in the Middle East without confronting Iran. It's just not possible. They're a malign influence in Lebanon, in Yemen, in Syria, in Iraq, the three H's: the Huthis, Hamas and Hizbollah. These are real threats; there are others as well. But you can't get peace in the Middle East without pushing back against Iran". 

In Warsaw for the Ministerial to Promote a Future of Peace and Security in the Middle East, Prime Minister Netanyahu remarked that "what is important about this meeting - and it is not in secret, because there are many of those - is that this is an open meeting with representatives of leading Arab countries, that are sitting down together with Israel in order to advance the common interest of combating Iran". Initial translations of those comments referred to "war with Iran", rather than "combating Iran", which Foreign Minister Zarif quickly seized on as reflecting "Netanyahu's illusions". 

En route to Warsaw for the Ministerial to Promote a Future of Peace and Security in the Middle East, Prime Minister Netanyahu remarked that "we operate very many means and very many elements against the Iranian aggression, against their attempts to arm themselves with nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles. Time and again we have exposed their terrorist actions in Europe. Time and again we have blocked their attempts to entrench in Syria, day after day". "Our relations with countries in the region, except Syria, are all very good... the reality is that these relations are becoming tighter", Netanyahu added, going on to opine that "the holding of this conference in which Israel, the U.S., various countries around the world and from the region sit down in one place, in one hall and discuss one topic which, in my opinion, is the most important for our national security, is a very important achievement". 

During a visit to an Israeli naval facility, Prime Minister Netanyahu remarked that "it is impossible to show everything but the missiles that you see behind me can go very far, against any enemy, including Iran's proxies in our region". "We are constantly working according to our understanding and the need to prevent Iran and its proxies from entrenching on our northern border and in our region in general", Netanyahu added. "We are doing everything necessary". 

In a statement, Prime Minister Netanyahu asserted that "I do not ignore the threats of the Iranian regime but neither am I intimidated by them. If this regime makes the awful mistake of trying to destroy Tel Aviv and Haifa, it will not succeed. However, this would be the last anniversary of the revolution they celebrate. They should take this into account". 

Ahead of the "Ministerial to Promote a Future of Peace and Security in the Middle East" in Poland, Prime Minister Netanyahu indicated that "the first issue on the agenda is Iran - how to continue preventing it from entrenching in Syria, how to thwart its aggression in the region, and, above all, how to prevent Iran from attaining nuclear weapons". 

A senior IDF official assessed that "there is a nonstop Iranian effort to engage in cyber warfare against Israel. This activity is directed mostly at the IDF's soft spots, and we are using a variety of means to counter this". 

Previewing a 21 February trip to Moscow, Prime Minister Netanyahu indicated that "it's very important that we continue to prevent Iran from entrenching in Syria. In many ways we've blocked that advance and we're committed to continue blocking it, preventing Iran from creating another war front against us, right here opposite the Golan Heights. This is the main subject I will be discussing with President Putin". 

Prime Minister told his cabinet that "in Iran today they are marking 40 years since the Islamic revolution and are trying to boast about the new missile. Iran openly declares its intention to destroy the State of Israel. I have a clear message to the tyrants of Tehran: we know what you are doing and where you are doing it. We will continue to take action against Iran with all the tools at our disposal in order to ensure the security and future of Israel". Netanyahu also met with a delegation of UN ambassadors, and asserted to them that "a great shift has taken place in the Middle East. That shift is the rise of the aggressive theocracy of Iran that seeks to conquer the Middle East, eliminate Israel and dominate many other parts of the world". "Iran has proxies", Netanyahu continued. "One of them is Hizbollah... they actually control the government of Lebanon. It means that Iran controls the government of Lebanon. It's important to send this very powerful message just as we stop the terror tunnels coming into Israel, we will stop all the aggression; from Lebanon or from Syria or from Iran itself". 

Following discussions between Prime Minister Netanyahu and senior Russian officials, his office reported that "among the issues discussed were Iran and the situation in Syria, and strengthening the security coordination mechanism between the militaries in order to prevent friction". 

Prime Minister Netanyahu indicated that "Iran [cyber]attacks Israel on a daily basis. We monitor these attacks. We see these attacks and we foil these attacks all the time". "Iran threatens us in many other ways", he continued. "They have issued in the last 24 hours threats that say that they'll destroy us, they'll target our cities with missiles. We're not oblivious to these threats. They don't impress us because we know what our power is both in defence and in offence". 

Prime Minister Netanyahu, responding to 26 January remarks by Hizbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, posited that Nasrallah "is very embarrassed for three reasons: one, because of the great success of our operation 'Northern Shield'... second, Nasrallah is in a predicament due to financial distress. The policy that we pushed of re-imposing sanctions on Iran, which was clearly and sharply adopted by President Trump, is striking hard at the sources of financing for Iran and its proxies, especially Hizbollah". The third factor, Netanyahu opined, was "our determination".

In an interview, Hizbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah remarked that "we will deal with any Israeli operation to hit targets in Lebanon as an attempt to change rules of engagement. And we will deal with any large-scale operation as a declaration of war against Lebanon". He also assessed that "no one knows when Syria would change its attitude towards the Israeli assaults, therefore they should be careful not to go too far with them, because the priority in the past was ending the internal Syria battle, but not the situation is different, Syria could respond, and Israel should never underestimate the response of the resistance axis, on top of which is Damascus". 

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin warned that "if we are threatened from Lebanon, we will not stand by. Hizbollah is creating facilities to produce and convert precision-guided missiles in the heart of Beirut under civilian cover and with Iranian support... this threatens Israeli security and could force us to respond, dragging the region into escalation that could badly harm Lebanon".

Following anonymously-sourced reports claiming that IRGC Qods force commander Qasem Soleimani had suggested that Iranian strikes within Israel could prompt a defeat for Prime Minister Netanyahu in April elections, Netanyahu remarked that "instead of interfering the elections, Soleimani would do well to check the state of the Iranian bases that he is trying to establish in Syria". "Our policy is clear and it will not change", he continued, adding that "we are determined to prevent Iran from militarily entrenching itself in Syria against the State of Israel".  

Prime Minister Netanyahu asserted that "the main enemy that we face is Iran. Iran declares its intention to destroy us with nuclear weapons, which we are committed to thwarting. But Iran is also building forces around us. It wants to squeeze us". Citing three Iranian "bases" - in Lebanon, in Gaza, and in Syria - Netanyahu maintained that "we are committed to fighting all of these... we are facing Iran and its proxies on these three fronts".

Prime Minister Netanyahu warned that "our enemies who seek to destroy us should know that Israel's clenched fist will reach all those who seek our ill and we will settle accounts with them". 

Prime Minister Netanyahu affirmed that "last night the air force strongly attacked Iranian targets in Syria after Iran launched a missile from there at our territory". "We will not ignore such acts of aggression as Iran attempts to entrench itself militarily in Syria and given explicit statements by Iran that it intends to destroy Israel", Netanyahu continued, adding that "whoever tries to hurt us - we hurt them. Whoever threatens to destroy us will bear the full responsibility". 

The Israeli military held discussions with Russian counterparts on "advancing and improving the de-confliction mechanism between the two countries in the northern arena and the IDF's activities against Iranian entrenchment and the Hizbollah organisation's rearmament efforts in Syria". 

Prime Minister Netanyahu asserted that "the most important thing that happened in the last year in our region is the decision by President Trump to move out of the [Iran nuclear] agreement. This has caused a tailspin in Iran's economy. What the nuclear deal did was fuel Iran's coffers, and from these coffers, they put it right into Syria, right into Hizbollah, right into Hamas". "The second most dramatic thing that happened", Netanyahu continued, "is our military activity in Syria to deprive Iran from basing itself militarily against us in Syria". 

Prime Minister Netanyahu remarked that "there is one central threat: Iran and its terror proxies. We have acted carefully and responsibly to thwart efforts by those who wish to annihilate us to become stronger. We did this by blocking the nuclear deal with Iran and reimposing sanctions. We had to penetrate through Iranian lies, as Iran lies all the time. They lied about the nuclear deal, and we exposed that by uncovering the secret nuclear archive from Tehran. They are lying now, saying that they are launching an ostensibly innocent satellite into space, but in fact, they are aiming to accomplish the first stage for an inter-continental missile in defiance of all international agreements. We fully support the U.S.' unwavering objection to this aggressive act". "Another step we have taken to protect Israel", he continued, "is disrupting Hizbollah's attempts to acquire precision-guided munitions, destroying Hizbollah's tunnels in the north and those of Hamas in the south, and above all, preventing the Iranian military entrenchment in Syria". Citing an Iranian official's recent remarks about Iran's advisory role in Syria, Netanyahu said: "I advise them to get out of there fast, because we will continue with our resolute policy, as we have promised and as we are doing, fearlessly and relentlessly".  

National Security Advisor John Bolton, citing analysis based on purported Iranian nuclear documents seized by Israel, argued that "the president was right to end [the] horrible Iran deal. Pressure on Iran to abandon nuclear ambitions will increase". Prime Minister Netanyahu subsequently endorsed the message in a tweet of his own, commenting "Bolton is right. The President's position is spot-on". 

Prime Minister Netanyahu remarked that "we worked with impressive success to block Iran's military entrenchment in Syria. In this framework, the IDF attacked Iranian and Hizbollah targets hundreds of times. We worked together against the manufacture of precision weapons in Lebanon. We worked to dismantle Hizbollah's tunnels weapon in Lebanon, in Operation 'Northern Shield'". "Just in the last 36 hours", Netanyahu revealed, "the air force attacked Iranian warehouses with Iranian weapons at the international airport in Damascus. The accumulation of recent attacks proves that we are determined more than ever to take action against Iran in Syria, just as we promised". 

Confirming Israeli strikes against what he described as "an Iranian weapons warehouse at the international airport in Damascus", Prime Minister Netanyahu asserted that "if necessary, we will step up these attacks". He also indicated that operation "Northern Shield", along the Lebanon border, had come "to a successful close". 

Israel's outgoing military chief of staff reflected that "we operated under a certain threshold until two-and-a-half years ago. And then we noticed a significant change in Iran's strategy. Their vision was to have significant influence in Syria by building a force of up to 100,000 Shiite fighters... they built intelligence bases and an air force base within each Syria air base". Referring to IRGC Qods force commander Qasem Soleimani, Gadi Eisenkot assessed that "his error was choosing a playground where he is relatively weak... we have strong deterrence and we have justification to act". "The force we faced over the last two years was a determined force", Eisenkot continued, "but not very impressive in its capabilities". He went on to add that "as we push [the Iranians] in Syria, they transfer their efforts to Iraq". 

Secretary Pompeo underscored that "we strongly support Israel's efforts to stop Tehran from turning Syria into the next Lebanon" going on to say that "the U.S. fully supports Israel's right to defend itself against the Iranian regime's aggressive adventurism". "We will continue to ensure that Israel has the military capacity to do so decisively", he added. 

Israel welcomed EU sanctions against Iran over alleged assassination plots in Europe as "an important first step", asserting that "the newly imposed sanctions offer some hope that a growing number of countries are willing to take an active, clear stand against Iran's global campaign of terrorism". 

Prime Minister Netanyahu told National Security Advisor John Bolton that "President [Trump] walked away from the dangerous Iran deal and re-imposed sanctions... that's important to America, to Israel, to the world, and everyone who wants to stop Iranian aggression respects that deeply".