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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday declared that his country’s “victory” in the recent 12-day conflict with Iran had paved the way for new opportunities, most importantly the potential to secure the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza. Addressing security officers, Netanyahu said, as quoted by AFP: “Many opportunities have opened up now following this victory. First of all, to rescue the hostages.”

He added, “Of course, we will also have to solve the Gaza issue, to defeat Hamas, but I estimate that we will achieve both goals.”

‘Israel’s Military Operation Opened Broad Regional Possibilities’: Netanyahu During Visit To Shin Bet

According to the Times of Israel, Netanyahu made these remarks during a visit to a Shin Bet facility in southern Israel. He highlighted that Israel’s military operation had opened “broad regional possibilities.” Netanyahu stressed the priority: “First of all, [we need] to free the hostages. Of course, we will also have to solve the Gaza issue, to defeat Hamas, but I believe that we will achieve both tasks.”

During the visit, Netanyahu met with “S.,” the acting head of the domestic intelligence agency, Shin Bet, Times of Israel reported. The Shin Bet chief said they had successfully foiled, on average, two Iranian attempts each day to direct attacks inside Israel during the campaign against Iran’s nuclear programme, resulting in “zero successes” by Iranian operatives.

Netanyahu is currently holding a cabinet meeting at the IDF Southern Command Headquarters in Beersheba.

Iranian Nuclear Program ‘Obliterated Like Nobody’s Ever Seen’: Trump

Speaking to Fox News, US President Donald Trump boasted that Iran’s nuclear infrastructure had been destroyed in unprecedented fashion. “Iran’s nuclear program was obliterated like nobody’s ever seen before,” Trump said, referring to the recent bombings of three key Iranian nuclear sites.

He described the strike on the underground Fordo facility in vivid terms: “The bomb went through it like it was butter, like it was absolute butter… It’s just thousands of tons of rock in that room right now. The whole place was just destroyed.”

Trump insisted that Iran did not manage to relocate its highly enriched uranium before the attack, stating: “I think first it was very hard to do. It’s very dangerous to do. It’s very heavy, very, very heavy. It’s a very hard thing to do. Plus, we didn’t give much notice because they didn’t know we were coming until just then.”

According to Trump, Tehran had been “weeks away” from developing a nuclear weapon, but he argued Iran is now unlikely to restart its nuclear ambitions. He further claimed that more countries would seek peace with Israel in the wake of the US-Israeli campaign against Iran, suggesting even Iran itself might have joined the Abraham Accords if the circumstances had been different.

Iran Condemns Trump’s Remarks As ‘Offensive And Undignified’

Earlier, Iran’s Foreign Ministry has strongly criticised Trump over what it described as “offensive remarks and undignified behaviour” towards Iran’s supreme leader and its people. As cited by Iran International, the ministry’s statement read: “Undoubtedly, these insulting and bullying remarks and actions against Iran and the respected political and religious figures of Iranians and Muslims will only intensify disgust and hatred toward America’s short-sighted policies and further discredit its claims of seeking dialogue and engagement.”

The condemnation followed Trump’s comments on Friday, when he told Fox News that Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had issued a “blatant and foolish” statement threatening a repeat of the “slap” Iran claimed to have delivered by firing missiles at a US base in Qatar. Trump added, “You have to tell the truth,” referring to Khamenei. “You got beat to hell.”