Netanyahu: IDF has ‘many surprises’ in store for Islamic Republic

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Saturday that the Jewish state’s military still had “many surprises” in store aimed at destabilizing the Islamic Republic and enabling change in Tehran.

“We have many more targets and I will not detail them here,” the premier stated in a Hebrew-language address to the nation on Saturday night.

Jerusalem is working according to “an organized plan,” he continued.

“To Revolutionary Guard operatives, those who tyrannize the Iranian people in the streets, I say only this: You, too, are in the crosshairs,” Netanyahu said, adding that “no harm” would come to those who surrender and lay down their weapons.

“Through our daring pilots and those of the U.S., we achieved almost total control of Iranian skies,” he said. “With each passing day, we’re peeling away more and more of the Iranian regime’s capabilities.”

Netanyahu noted that in the first week of the joint Israeli-U.S. campaign, the two militaries eliminated “the tyrant” Ali Khamenei; killed “dozens” of top Revolutionary Guards operatives and hundreds of terrorists; destroyed Iranian military, nuclear and government facilities; and bombed hundreds of ballistic launchers used to attack Israel.

Jerusalem and Washington embarked on “Operation Roaring Lion/Epic Fury” on Feb. 28 after Khamenei ordered the restoration of nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities destroyed by Israel and the U.S. in 2025, he said.

Khamenei “even buried them deep, deep underground, beneath high mountains, so that they would be completely immune to any strike,” according to Netanyahu. “There is no doubt that after achieving this underground immunity, the ayatollah regime would have used these terrible tools to destroy us, Israel, and threaten the U.S., Europe, the countries of the region and the entire world with nuclear weapons.”

“After all, this is exactly what this terrorist regime is doing now, even without weapons of mass destruction,” the prime minister stated, adding: “Imagine what it would do if it had nuclear weapons.”

The operation was launched amid fears that Iran “would strike first at American targets in the region as well as at Israel,” according to him.

In his remarks, Netanyahu thanked U.S. President Donald Trump for his “historic leadership” and “for the alliance, which is stronger than ever, between the U.S. and Israel that we are both leading.”

“Today, everyone understands that the ayatollahs’ regime endangers the entire world. In recent days, Iran has attacked 12 countries around it. We stand by them,” he said, referencing Tehran’s ongoing missile and drone assaults targeting Gulf and Middle East nations, as well as Cyprus.

“Many countries are turning to us now for cooperation,” he revealed. “Why are they doing so? Why are they turning to us specifically now? Because we are strong, because we are right, because we are fighting!”

“Many countries see today exactly who can be trusted. Israel serves as a beacon of strength and hope. Thanks to this strength, we will be able to expand the circle of security, peace, and prosperity in the future on a scale we have never known,” according to Netanyahu.

He noted that, in addition to the military operations against Tehran, his government during the War of Redemption, which was sparked by the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, massacre, eliminated the leaders of the Gaza terror group; took out Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah; and helped bring about the fall of the “bloody regime” in Damascus.

“We brought all of our hostages home, struck the centers of terrorism in Judea and Samaria, climbed to the peak of Mount Hermon, and created buffer zones in Syria, Lebanon, and Gaza,” he said. “As I promised you two days after October 7, we are changing the face of the Middle East.”

The Israel Defense Forces continues attacks in Lebanon, where it is “crushing” the Iranian-backed Hezbollah terrorist group, he stated.

Netanyahu warned Beirut that if it fails to uphold the Nov. 26, 2024, U.S.-brokered truce, which requires it to disarm Hezbollah, the terrorists’ aggression “will bring catastrophic consequences upon Lebanon.”

“It is time for you, too, to take your destiny into your hands,” said Netanyahu, vowing that “in any case,” Israel will do “everything necessary to protect our communities and our citizens.”

Addressing Israeli citizens, Netanyahu concluded, “Together, we’ll roar like a lion, and—with God’s help—we will ensure the eternity of Israel.”

The Israeli Air Force has launched more than 5,000 munitions on targets across Iran since the start of the ongoing operation, with a focus on the Tehran area, according to Israeli military data released on Wednesday.

In parallel, Jerusalem last week ordered the IDF to advance and take control of additional commanding areas in Southern Lebanon after Hezbollah joined the fighting, firing rockets and drones at Israel.