Netanyahu says Israel ready to strike back hard against any Iranian move

The Israeli government says it is taking all necessary precautionary measures as tensions with Iran remain high. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reiterated that Israel is prepared to respond with force to any actions directed against the country.

According to Caliber.Az, citing foreign media, Netanyahu made the remarks at a joint press conference with the President of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, and the Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

“We know that Iran is conducting exercises. We are monitoring this and taking the necessary measures. I want to state clearly to Iran: any action against Israel will be met with a very harsh response,” Netanyahu said.

Earlier, Axios, citing informed sources, reported that Israeli officials had raised concerns with the administration of US President Donald Trump over missile exercises conducted by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, viewing them as a possible preparation for a strike against Israel. Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei, in response, stressed that Iran’s missile program is purely defensive in nature and not subject to discussion with other countries.

These warnings come against the backdrop of the June 2025 Iran–Israel conflict, the most direct and intense confrontation between the two states since the 1979 Iranian Revolution. The 12-day war began on June 13, when Israel launched a surprise offensive, dubbed “Operation Rising Lion,” targeting major Iranian nuclear facilities at Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan, along with military bases and senior leadership figures.

Netanyahu described the strikes as preemptive, citing a May 2025 assessment by the International Atomic Energy Agency indicating that Iran’s stockpile of uranium enriched to 60% could be sufficient to produce up to nine nuclear warheads. The operation killed several prominent Iranian nuclear scientists and commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and caused significant damage to Iran’s air-defence and missile infrastructure.

Iran responded by launching waves of ballistic missiles and drones at Israeli military installations and urban centres. The escalation drew in the United States, which on June 22 struck three Iranian nuclear sites. Iran’s regional allies also became involved, with the Houthis in Yemen firing missiles toward Israel.

The fighting resulted in heavy casualties on both sides, widespread infrastructure damage in Iran, and a growing humanitarian crisis. During the conflict, Iranian authorities detained around 700 people on suspicion of espionage and executed several individuals on spying charges. A fragile ceasefire was reached on June 24 through US mediation under President Trump.

Since then, tensions have remained elevated. On November 11, The New York Times, citing officials and analysts, reported that a renewed armed conflict between Israel and Iran may now be unavoidable. The paper noted that the 2015 nuclear agreement limiting Iran’s nuclear activities expired last month, triggering the reimposition of broad sanctions on Tehran, while efforts to revive negotiations have stalled.

Iran maintains that its stockpile of highly enriched uranium has been destroyed, while Israeli officials argue it has merely been relocated to secure locations. According to the report, officials in several Gulf states increasingly believe a new Israeli strike on Iran is likely, as Israel views Iran’s advancing nuclear capabilities as an existential threat.

By Tamilla Hasanova