Netanyahu: Action against Iran saved Israel from destruction; experts question atomic bomb claims

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed at a Likud campaign event that military actions against Iran saved Israel from "imminent destruction." He stated that without these actions, the State of Israel might not exist today. However, public intelligence reports and former officials challenge the narrative that Iran was on the verge of producing atomic bombs. While the International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed Iran held significant stockpiles of 60% enriched uranium, U.S. intelligence assessments prior to the 2026 war indicated that Tehran was not building a nuclear weapon and that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei had not authorized a weapons program. Former IDF Chief Gadi Eisenkot and former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett have also rejected Netanyahu's assertion that Iran possessed atomic bombs before the Israeli strikes. A senior Israeli official told Ynet that the claims were "hysterical nonsense," emphasizing that the weaponization group was far from developing a device. Meanwhile, Netanyahu's speech omitted the human and economic costs of nearly three years of war, including 22 deaths from direct missile strikes and a 3.8% economic contraction. He concluded by stating that the mission is not yet complete, citing the ultimate goals of toppling the Iranian regime and eliminating Hezbollah and Hamas.