Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke on Tuesday at the Israel Security Conference organized by Israel Hayom and the Israel Defense and Security Forum just hours after Israel launched Operation Arrow and Shield in Gaza.
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Netanyahu, whose comments were his first since the offensive began with pinpointed airstrikes against Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorists, said that Israel "will do everything it can to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon." He added that this was a promise that he will uphold "so long as I am prime minister," and added that "Israel must do everything it can to defend itself by itself against any threat."
Video: Netanyahu at the conference
In his recorded address, he said that "our first and foremost problem is Iran – 95% of Israel's security problems originate from the fanatic regime in Iran. The nuclear threat, the missile threat, and the terrorist ring and aggression Iran has tried to create around us.'
Netanyahu appeared to blame Iran for the recent tension with the Palestinians, saying that Israel was "doing all we can to stop Iran from establishing new terrorist fronts around us," apparently referring to its influence on Gaza terrorists as well. He added that Israel is going to frustrate the Iranian effort is pursued "by military means so that Iran does not establish another Lebanon in Syria," and said that "so far this has been a success," possibly referring to the attacks attributed to Israel in Syria.
The PIJ is considered to be backed by Iran, and it recently fired more than 100 rockets toward Israel after a Palestinian hunger-striking prisoner died. Israel's operation on Tuesday appears to be in response to that salvo.
The prime minister stressed that he had instructed the defense establishment to "be prepared for dealing with a multi-theater campaign if needed," and vowed that "if this arrives, we will have the upper hand."
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