Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday accused Iran of pushing the region toward a “forever war” and warned the situation is approaching the “brink of a nuclear war.”In a wide-ranging interview with ABC News, Netanyahu argued that the only way to end hostilities is by directly targeting the Iranian regime’s leadership – including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.When asked about reports that US President Donald Trump rejected an Israeli proposal to assassinate Khamenei due to fears of escalation, Netanyahu countered, “It’s not going to escalate the conflict, it’s going to end the conflict.”The remarks come as tensions between Israel and Iran have surged since a wave of airstrikes and missile exchanges erupted late last week. Netanyahu squarely blamed Iran for regional instability, pointing to its alleged involvement in attacks across the Middle East.“We’ve had half a century of conflict spread by this regime that terrorizes everyone in the Middle East; has bombed the Aramco oil fields in Saudi Arabia; is spreading terrorism and subversion and sabotage everywhere,” he said. “The ‘forever war’ is what Iran wants, and they’re bringing us to the brink of nuclear war. In fact, what Israel is doing is preventing this, bringing an end to this aggression, and we can only do so by standing up to the forces of evil.”Asked directly if Israel would target Iran’s supreme leader, Netanyahu responded, “We’re doing what we need to do.” He added, “I’m not going to get into the details, but we’ve targeted their top nuclear scientists. It’s basically Hitler’s nuclear team.”Netanyahu appealed to American interests, warning that the threat Iran poses is not limited to Israel. “Today, it’s Tel Aviv. Tomorrow, it’s New York. Look, I understand ‘America First’. I don’t understand ‘America Dead’. That’s what these people want. They chant ‘Death to America.'”“So we’re doing something that is in the service of mankind, of humanity, and it’s a battle of good against evil. America does, should, and does stand with the good. That’s what President Trump is doing, And I deeply appreciate his support,” he said.The Israeli leader also dismissed a Wall Street Journal report that Iran is seeking to de-escalate and resume nuclear talks. “I’m not surprised. I mean, they want to continue to have these fake talks in which they lie, they cheat, they string the US along. And, you know, we have very solid Intel on that,” he said. “They want to keep on building their nuclear weapons and building their mass ballistic missile arsenal, which they’re firing at our people.“He rejected the idea of halting strikes in exchange for renewed diplomacy, adding, “They want to continue to create the two existential threats against Israel while they’re talking. That’s not going to happen.”When asked about criticism from US conservatives like commentator Tucker Carlson who oppose military support for Israel, Netanyahu reiterated the global threat he believes Iran poses: “Iran is a threat to the entire world.”The Israeli PM again echoed his recent birthday message to President Trump, saying, “We’re not just fighting our enemy. We’re fighting your enemy. For God’s sake, they chant, ‘death to Israel, death to America.’ We’re simply on their way. And this could reach America soon.”Pressed on whether he would halt military action if President Trump requested a diplomatic pause, Netanyahu was non-committal but praised Trump’s leadership: “Well, President Trump has been a great leader, a great leader of the world, and a great leader and a great friend of Israel, and he put forward the terms very clearly in the negotiations.”“He said Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, and in order for it not to have a nuclear weapon, it cannot have the capacity to enrich uranium, which is the prerequisite for nuclear weapons.”
