Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed Iran, Lebanon, Hezbollah, China and relations with the USA in an interview with Main Garrett on CBS’s “60 Minutes.” Netanyahu claimed that Iran had been weakened after joint US-Israeli assaults and stated strain on Tehran was persevering with by the naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. He additionally commented on US assist for Israel, saying navy assist ought to finally be phased out and the connection ought to shift towards partnership.
Netanyahu: “Iran is at its weakest level”
Netanyahu claimed that Iran is now “at its weakest level” following joint assaults by the US and Israel.
The Israeli prime minister stated lots of Iran’s weapons manufacturing services and websites supporting its economic system had been destroyed. He additionally argued that Iran’s present management shouldn’t be as sturdy as earlier administrations and stated the US and Israel proceed to take care of strain and management over Tehran.
Netanyahu described the naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz as one of many key parts of that strain.
Declare about China’s assist for missile manufacturing
Netanyahu was additionally requested whether or not China had offered assist to Iran. “China offered a specific amount of assist and a few parts for missile manufacturing. I didn’t like that. However I can’t say greater than that,” Netanyahu stated.
Netanyahu: “The battle towards Hezbollah will proceed”
Netanyahu additionally spoke about Israel’s assaults on Lebanon. He claimed that Hezbollah had 150,000 missiles and rockets earlier than the battle and that round 90 % of them had been destroyed.
The Israeli prime minister stated the “battle towards Hezbollah” would proceed individually from the continued talks between the US and Iran.
Netanyahu blames declining US assist on social media manipulation
Netanyahu additionally addressed the decline in public assist for Israel in the USA in recent times. He argued that the shift was not associated to his authorities’s insurance policies and as a substitute blamed different international locations.
“Let me let you know what occurred. A number of international locations manipulated social media with pretend addresses and bot farms to interrupt the American individuals’s sympathy for Israel and disrupt the US-Israel alliance as a result of they imagine it serves their pursuits,” Netanyahu stated.
“It’s time to transfer from assist to partnership”
Netanyahu additionally commented on the $3.8 billion in annual US monetary assist to Israel. The Israeli prime minister stated he wished to scale back US navy assist and the “monetary part of navy cooperation” to zero.
“Our economic system is booming. After three years of battle, our foreign money is stronger than it has been within the final 50 years, maybe even longer,” Netanyahu stated.
Describing Israel as a serious high-tech economic system, Netanyahu added, “I believe it’s now time, by an agreed program over time, to finish American navy assist and transfer from assist to partnership.”
