For years,Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned the world about Iran’s nuclear ambitions. He often invoked the horrors of history, saying things like, “It’s 1938 and Iran is Germany … the Jewish people will not allow a second Holocaust.” His message was consistent: a nuclear-armed Iran would be an existential threat to Israel.
He took that message to U.S. presidents, international forums, and Holocaust memorials. In one memorable moment, he even showed a cartoon bomb at the UN to drive his point home. But for a long time, many thought Netanyahu was crying wolf. Iran kept enriching uranium, but no bomb ever came. Critics said he was all talk — unlike previous Israeli leaders who had taken decisive action in Iraq and Syria.
That all changed in the early hours of Friday, June 13. Around 3 a.m., Israelis were jolted awake by emergency alerts urging them to seek shelter. It was soon confirmed: Israel had launched a major attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities, its air defense systems, and had reportedly assassinated top Iranian military and nuclear figures.
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Hours later, Iran struck back, firing a barrage of missiles at Tel Aviv and nearby cities. Since then, the two countries have been locked in a dangerous back-and-forth with more than 260 civilians killed in Iran and 24 in Israel, and widespread damage on both sides.
For Netanyahu and his supporters, this is a moment of vindication. After the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack that killed over 1,200 Israelis and sparked a devastating war in Gaza, Netanyahu’s leadership came under intense scrutiny. Critics blamed him for ignoring warnings, weakening Israel’s security services, and caring more about political power than national safety.
The war in Gaza didn’t help his image much either. Despite thousands of Palestinian deaths, Hamas remains active, and 53 Israeli hostages –20 believed to be alive are still in captivity. Internationally, Netanyahu’s name became closely associated with the destruction in Gaza, while protests inside Israel grew louder — especially after he ended a brief ceasefire on March 18.
But Iran is a different story. Most Israelis, even those who usually oppose Netanyahu, see Iran as the country’s most dangerous enemy. Since 1979, Iran’s leaders have spoken openly about wanting to destroy Israel. They’ve built and supported a network of armed groups across the region, Hezbollah in Lebanon being the most powerful aimed at surrounding and threatening Israel.
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In recent months, that “ring of fire” around Israel began to unravel. Israel killed Hezbollah’s leader, weakened Iran’s regional allies, and opened up airspace that was once heavily defended. Calls for Netanyahu to act — including from political rivals like Naftali Bennett — grew louder.
One big reason Netanyahu finally acted, according to a report by The Guardian, was the return of Donald Trump to the U.S. presidency. Netanyahu believed Trump might greenlight an attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities, something previous administrations had refused to do. Although Trump resumed talks with Iran instead, Israel moved forward after Trump’s 60-day deadline to Tehran expired. Netanyahu saw this as the best moment to strike — and he took it.
The response inside Israel was swift and mostly supportive. A recent Israel Democracy Institute poll showed 82% of Jewish Israelis, including 57% of left-leaning voters, supported the strike on Iran. Among Arab Israelis, however, only 11% supported the attack, and 65% were against it.
Many in Israel felt a sense of pride and relief. Military analysts abroad compared the attack to Israel’s dramatic victory in the Six-Day War of 1967, declaring Israel the region’s new superpower. For Netanyahu, the strike also gave him some breathing room. His corruption trial was delayed, critics temporarily backed off, and news coverage shifted away from Gaza and the October 7 hostages.
But not everyone is celebrating. Netanyahu’s critics say he’s using this military operation to distract from his own political failures. They accuse him of trying to turn Israel into a right-wing autocracy — and see the Iran attack as a way to regain popularity. His comment during a hospital visit, where he said his family was paying the price for war because his son’s wedding had to be postponed, struck many as out of touch with the suffering of ordinary Israelis.
Still, a Channel 13 poll found that 64% of Israelis believe Netanyahu genuinely wants to stop Iran’s nuclear program. Only 28% think his decision was politically motivated. Yet despite the public backing for the attack, Netanyahu’s ruling coalition remains deeply unpopular.
In the end, whether this bold strike defines Netanyahu’s legacy or adds another layer of complexity to Israel’s regional tensions remains to be seen. The war with Iran is still unfolding and it could either secure Israel’s safety or spiral into a conflict that neither side can control.
This rewritten article contains information originally reported by The Guardian and has been adapted for clarity, uniqueness, and compliance with fair use and attribution guidelines.
