Netanyahu Vows Israel Will Keep Confronting Iran's Reign of Terrorism

On March 19, 2026, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the media during a press conference in Jerusalem, where he reaffirmed Israel's commitment to its military campaign against Tehran, vowing to persist in dismantling Iran's terror regime.

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Netanyahu's declaration that "the campaign is not over" and his intention to "crush the terror regime" came in a televised statement, emphasizing Israel's unwavering stance on the issue.

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Prior to Netanyahu's remarks, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that his country possessed the necessary resolve to bring an end to the conflict with Israel and the United States, but was seeking assurances that the war would not recur.

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As the Jewish Passover holidays approached, Netanyahu reflected on Israel's actions, stating "we had to act, and we acted," and highlighting the country's unwavering dedication to its mission.

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Netanyahu also asserted that, despite the ongoing war, Israel had established itself as a "regional power" and had successfully altered the landscape of the Middle East.

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The conflict between Israel and Iran escalated on February 28, when Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump initiated a new war, resulting in the death of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamanei and triggering a series of retaliatory attacks across the region.

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Opposition leader Yair Lapid, who heads the centre-right Yesh Atid party, criticized Netanyahu's speech, characterizing it as an "arrogant" address that boasted of changing the Middle East, but ultimately yielded no lasting impact.

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Lapid further ridiculed Netanyahu's claim, saying "you almost changed the Middle East; in the end it always turns out that it hasn’t changed," implying that the prime minister's actions had not led to meaningful or lasting transformations in the region.