June 15, 2026
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gives a news conference in Jerusalem on June 15, 2026. Netanyahu said on June 15 that he intended to run in elections scheduled for later this year, as he faced domestic criticism over his handling of the Middle East war and its aftermath. (Photo by RONEN ZVULUN / POOL / AFP)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that the joint US-Israeli military campaign against Iran had spared his country from what he described as the Islamic republic’s threat of “nuclear annihilation”.
In his first public remarks since the United States and Iran announced an agreement in the early hours of Monday to end the Middle East war, Netanyahu also said that Israeli troops would remain in Lebanon, Gaza, and Syria for “as long as necessary”.
Speaking at a televised press conference, Netanyahu, who has faced severe criticism over his handling of the war and what critics describe as his failure to influence Washington’s negotiations over the deal, sought to highlight what he portrayed as the campaign’s major achievements.
