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"Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel has achieved 'historic accomplishments' in its ongoing military campaign, while warning that operations are not yet over. “The campaign has not yet ended, but even now it can be clearly stated: we have achieved historic accomplishments,” Netanyahu said in a televised address on Saturday, adding that the opportunity to strike Iran in concert with the US had sent a 'shiver down the spine'. He said Israel had acted to counter what he described as a regional threat network led by Iran, which he described as 'the head of the octopus' and its 'tentacles'. “Iran tried to encircle us… they sought to choke us — and now we are choking them,” he said, referring to groups in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen. Netanyahu claimed Israel had significantly degraded Iran’s nuclear and missile capabilities through a series of operations, stating that he had received credible intelligence reports that slain Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei "wanted to bury both missile production and nuclear development deep, deep beneath a mountain" following the US B2 bomber strikes last summer. “We have crushed the nuclear programme, crushed the missile programme,” he said, while also claiming Israel has acted to "crush the regime itself." The Israeli prime minister explained that strikes had targeted enrichment facilities, missile stockpiles and senior figures linked to Iran’s military and scientific infrastructure. He stated that the campaign was launched to prevent what he described as imminent threats. “Iran was very close to obtaining nuclear weapons… thousands upon thousands of missiles,” he stated, adding that the regional balance of power has now shifted as a result. “Iran is no longer the same Iran, and Israel is no longer the same Israel,” he said, noting that while diminutive in size, Israel "has become the strongest regional power; everyone understands this, and in some respects even a global power." The Israeli leader also pointed to ongoing military activity across multiple fronts, including Gaza and Lebanon, and said operations against Hezbollah were continuing. “We are still fighting — it is not over yet,” he said, adding that Israel continues to build "security zones deep inside enemy territory", including 50% of Gaza, from "Mount Hermon and reaching as far as the Yarmouk" in Syria, and significant territory in southern Lebanon. "Lebanon has approached us in the past month — several times — to begin direct peace talks. This has never happened before in our history, except once decades ago," he continued, adding that he had made talks for a cessation of hostilities conditional upon the disarmament of Hezbollah. Early Wednesday, the United States and Iran reached a conditional two-week ceasefire agreement, just before a deadline set by US President Donald Trump to secure a deal and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Earlier today, Iranian and US delegations convened in Islamabad for peace talks, with Pakistani mediation. Israel and Hamas agreed the first phase of the ceasefire deal last October, with a ceasefire, exchange of hostages and prisoners, and the entry of aid. Subsequent phases included post-war governance and rebuilding."
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