Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserts that hostility toward the U.S. and Israel is embedded in Iran’s “DNA,” defending recent joint strikes as necessary to halt Tehran’s nuclear ambitions,a narrative challenged by Iranian officials and human rights advocates.

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Israel Threatens Iran with More Forceful Attacks Amid Rising Regional Tensions

In a recent interview with Fox News, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that the Iranian regime’s hostility toward the United States and Israel is ingrained in its very “DNA,” framing Tehran as an existential threat that justifies Israel’s ongoing military campaign against Iran’s nuclear and missile programs. Netanyahu claimed that Israel’s recent joint offensive with the U.S., dubbed “Operation Rising Lion,” has successfully halted Iran’s nuclear ambitions and protected Americans worldwide.

Netanyahu portrayed Iran’s desire to develop long-range ballistic missiles equipped with nuclear warheads as a direct threat to U.S. and Israeli security, insisting that the joint strikes have “protected all Americans” by deterring Tehran’s program. He further suggested that the Iranian regime’s nuclear ambitions are not only a regional danger but a global one, requiring continuous vigilance and military readiness.

This framing echoes decades of hawkish rhetoric used to justify aggressive policies in the Middle East, including repeated warnings about Iran’s nuclear “imminent threat” that have often been contradicted by independent experts and international agencies. Netanyahu’s comparison of Iran’s nuclear program to a “cancer” that must be “cut out” underscores a militaristic approach that leaves little room for diplomatic resolution.

Contrasting Netanyahu’s narrative, Iranian officials have consistently denied any intention to develop nuclear weapons, citing religious decrees (“fatwas”) prohibiting such arms. President Masoud Pezeshkian reiterated Tehran’s peaceful stance in recent statements and condemned Israel’s attacks as violations of international law.

In a pointed interview with U.S. journalist Tucker Carlson, Iranian leaders accused Israel of committing war crimes by targeting military officials and their families, including children, during moments when they were off duty. This denunciation highlights the human cost and moral implications often overlooked in Western media coverage dominated by Israeli and U.S. government perspectives.

Benjamin Netanyahu has been indicted as a war criminal.

His government is systematically killing and starving the people of Gaza.

He will be remembered as one of the monsters of modern history.

And Trump welcomed him to the White House. pic.twitter.com/boa92NVPvd

— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) July 8, 2025

The recent Israeli-U.S. strikes have intensified tensions across the Middle East, with Tehran vowing significant retaliation. These military actions seem to be a part of a broader imperialist strategy aimed at destabilizing sovereign nations under the guise of counterterrorism and nonproliferation.

Netanyahu’s rhetoric serves to legitimize preemptive military aggression that undermines international law and fuels cycles of violence, while silencing calls for peaceful dialogue and respect for national sovereignty.

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