Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz assured his American counterpart Pete Hegseth that Israel will respect the ceasefire with Iran as long as the Iranian side also respects it. These statements come after dramatic events that escalated tensions in the Middle East and culminated in a temporary cessation of fighting. At the same time, however, new reports from the US cast doubt on the effectiveness of attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities, complicating the narrative of a 'historic victory' as presented by Israeli and US officials.
Katz said on his X platform account: "I spoke with US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth a little while ago. I stressed that Israel will respect the ceasefire - as long as the other side respects it." He also thanked Hegseth for President Trump's "courageous decision to act with Israel against the Iranian nuclear threat". According to Katz, Hegseth praised Israel and its armed forces for "historical achievements".
Despite optimistic statements by Israeli and US officials, CNN published a report questioning the impact of US attacks on Iran's nuclear programme. According to a preliminary assessment by US military intelligence (DIA), based on an analysis of the damage from the attacks, the attacks on three Iranian nuclear facilities did not destroy key components of Iran's nuclear programme. The programme is estimated to have been slowed by only a few months.
These findings contradict President Trump's claims that the attacks "completely and utterly destroyed" Iran's uranium enrichment facilities, and with Minister Hegseth's statements that Iran's nuclear ambitions have been "eliminated". Similarly, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the Iranian nuclear project as "dismantled" and declared a "historic victory". However, according to CNN sources, Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium has not been destroyed and the centrifuges remain largely intact.
White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt dismissed the report, saying "this alleged assessment is completely wrong". The analysis of the damage and impact of the attacks on Iran's nuclear programme is ongoing, and further intelligence could lead to changes in the assessment.
In another video message, Netanyahu stressed that Israel "dismantled Iran's nuclear project" and warned: "If anyone in Iran thinks of restoring it, we will attack again." He also stated that Israel "never had a better friend in the White House than President Trump", calling the campaign against Iran "a historic victory that will be remembered for generations to come".
Netanyahu further stated that Israel does not intend to "slack" in his campaign against the "Iranian Axis"which aims to defeat Hamas and secure the release of the remaining hostages in Gaza, dead or alive. "We must not slacken. Hamas must be defeated and our hostages must be brought home," He added.
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