Netanyahu thanks Trump for support as Israel expands strikes on Iran

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly thanked US President Donald Trump for backing Israel amid its escalating military campaign against Iran. 

In a video message released by his office on June 18, Netanyahu described the two leaders’ communication as ongoing and personal, noting a “very warm” conversation the night before, Caliber.Az reports, citing CNN.

“I wish to thank President Trump for the backing,” Netanyahu said. “Thank you for standing by our side and for the support the US has been providing us in defending Israel’s skies.”

The Israeli leader emphasised that his country is “severely hitting the Ayatollahs' regime,” targeting what he described as “Iran’s nuclear facilities, missiles, and symbols of power.” This statement came as Israel ramped up its military operations inside Iranian territory.

He made the statement in the wake of the IDF's coordinated wave of airstrikes against more than 20 military sites in Tehran launched on June 18. These included facilities connected to Iran’s missile production capabilities. The IDF assesses that the strikes have “significantly degraded Iran’s ability to fire large barrages of missiles toward Israel.”

Among the targets was the Iranian national police headquarters, where several people were reportedly injured. On the ground, the intensity of Israeli attacks has left many residents of Tehran on edge. “We haven’t been able to sleep for days,” an Iranian-American woman in the capital told CNN, describing the “constant sound of bombing.”

In response, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it had fired Sejjil-2 solid-fueled medium-range ballistic missiles toward Israel, insisting that its actions were defensive in nature. “Iran’s actions are purely in self-defence, but the country remains committed to diplomacy,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated.

Tehran’s warning to Washington was unequivocal. “If the Americans decide to get involved militarily, we have no choice but to retaliate wherever we find the targets necessary to be acted upon,” said Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht Ravanchi in an interview with CNN. “That is clear and simple. Because we are acting in self-defence.”

To prevent further instability, Iran has imposed nationwide restrictions on internet access. The Ministry of Information and Communications Technology cited urgent security concerns as the reason for the temporary blackout.

By Tamilla Hasanova