U.S. Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the day-old Israel-Iran ceasefire was holding up “very good.”
“Israel came back yesterday, I was so proud of them,” the president told reporters, speaking alongside NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte at the military alliance’s summit in The Hague.
Trump said Israel had planned retaliatory strikes on Tehran on Tuesday “because they felt there was a violation,” referring to Iran firing missiles hours after the ceasefire took effect. “Technically, they were right,” he noted.
Nevertheless, “it wouldn’t have worked out very well,” he added. “I said, ‘You got to get them [fighter jets] back,’ and they came back and it was a great thing.
“Israel got hit very hard, especially the last couple of days,” he continued. “Those ballistic missiles, boy, they took out a lot of buildings.”
Iran fired more than 500 ballistic missiles at Israel over the course of the 12-day war, killing 28 people, wounding hundreds and damaging many buildings.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “should be very proud of himself” after achieving Jerusalem’s war goals, Trump said.
When asked about Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi’s threat that Tehran would rebuild its nuclear program, Trump said, “The last thing they want to do is enrich anything right now—they want to recover.”
Washington “won’t let that happen,” the president declared, adding that he believes that his administration will end up having “somewhat of a relationship” with the Islamic Republic in the wake of the conflict.
“I’ve had a relationship over the last four days; they agreed to the ceasefire, and it was a very equal agreement,” the president said. “They’re not going to have a bomb and they’re not going to enrich.”
Commenting on reports that the June 22 U.S. strikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities did not lead to their complete destruction as his administration has claimed, Trump said, “They really don’t know.
“I think Israel is going to be telling us very soon because Bibi is going to have people involved in that whole situation,” he said, using the prime minister’s nickname. “We hear it was obliteration.”
In a statement issued early on Wednesday, Netanyahu expressed gratitude to Trump, crediting Washington with playing a key role in defending Israel and helping to eliminate the Iranian nuclear threat.
Netanyahu described Washington’s decision to join the campaign as “historic,” noting that the offensive involvement was unprecedented.
“Israel has never had as great a friend in the White House,” he said in the post-truce remarks, adding that the joint operation carried far-reaching implications for Jerusalem’s security and the future of the Middle East.
The premier emphasized that the IDF had struck at the core of Tehran’s nuclear infrastructure, effectively sending it “to oblivion,” while warning that its attempts to rebuild would be met with the same force by Israel.
Tally Gotliv, a lawmaker for Netanyahu’s Likud Party, praised the military campaign against Iran as a landmark achievement, crediting it with elevating Israel’s stature in the region and beyond.
“The campaign that Israel waged in Iran under the prime minister’s authority is a colossal heroic act of great importance,” Gotliv told JNS on Wednesday. “It greatly strengthened the country and its visibility in the eyes of the Middle East and the entire world, who gazed in wonder at the extraordinary intelligence capabilities of the Israeli Air Force and commando forces.
“The ceasefire is the derivative of achieving the goals in Iran and the predetermined objectives,” Gotliv said. “After a ceasefire, Israel is obligated to maintain these achievements for years to come.”
She also argued that Israel’s actions had a broader impact beyond its borders.
“Israel’s massive activity saved the Middle East and the entire world from Iran—ruled by the IRGC—if, God forbid, it had become a nuclear power,” she added.
Otzma Yehudit Party Knesset member Yitzhak Kroizer on Wednesday praised the Israeli government’s decision to carry out direct strikes on Iran, calling it a “historic and courageous” move that marked the beginning of dismantling the Islamic Republic’s regime.
“I commend the prime minister and the members of the Security Cabinet for the historic and courageous decision to strike at the head of the octopus, Tehran, and to begin the process of dismantling the terrorist regime,” Kroizer told JNS. “This was a bold and necessary move, long overdue, and one that required true leadership—especially in contrast to previous governments, including those led by seasoned generals, who hesitated to act.”
Kroizer said the operation yielded “enormous strategic achievements of the highest order,” citing critical blows to Iran’s nuclear and military capabilities.
“Israel inflicted critical damage on Iran’s nuclear program, crippled its ballistic missile infrastructure, eliminated dozens of top military and scientific figures, and destroyed key air defense systems, airfields, weapons depots and strategic sites,” he said.
He emphasized the operation’s success, noting that all Israeli aircraft returned safely and that the precision strikes reached deep into Iranian territory.
“The enemy’s proxy doctrine has collapsed. The head of the snake was hit in its own fortress,” he said. “This was a dramatic reinforcement of Israeli deterrence. Israel has once again proven itself a global military power with unmatched offensive and defensive capabilities.”
Kroizer highlighted the resilience of the Israeli home front during the war.
“Despite a heavy barrage of rockets, our civilians, emergency forces, volunteers and local authorities stood strong, showing responsibility and national unity. This partnership between the front lines and the home front is the secret to our strength,” he said.
However, Kroizer cautioned that the ceasefire with Iran should not be mistaken for peace.
“The Iranian regime is still standing. Its ambitions for nuclear weapons and long-range missile capabilities remain. As long as this threat exists, our mission is not complete,” he said.
“That is why we say, clearly and unequivocally: Fire without end until the regime in Tehran falls, and until our enemies, from Tehran to Yemen, are wiped out.”
Kroizer concluded with a message of national pride and resolve.
“We are a nation like a lion, Am k’lavi—a people of courage, unity, determination and faith. And our enemies now understand: Israel does not hesitate. Israel knows how to strike, and how to prevail.”