Jerusalem: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday said Israel and the US share “identical goals” in the ongoing conflict with Iran.
The Israeli prime minister said the US has been keeping Israel updated on its contacts with Iran and reiterated that both nations seek the removal of enriched material, an end to Iran’s enrichment capabilities, and the reopening of key maritime routes.
“Our goals and those of the United States are identical: We want to see the enriched material removed from Iran, we want to see the cancellation of enrichment capabilities within Iran, and of course, we want to see the opening of the straits,” Netanyahu said in a statement.
While a ceasefire remains in place, Netanyahu warned it was “too early to say how this will end,” stressing that Israel is ready for all contingencies.
At the same time, Israel continued its military operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon. Netanyahu said that he has instructed the military to continue reinforcing the security zone in southern Lebanon while negotiating a peace deal with Beirut.
He further said that the talks with Lebanon are underway — the first such negotiations in decades — aimed at pushing Hezbollah away from the border and achieving what he described as “a sustainable peace through strength.”
“These negotiations have not taken place for over 40 years. They are happening now because we are very strong, and countries are coming to us – not only Lebanon,” he said.
He said that in talks with Lebanon, Israel has two main objectives – dismantling of Hezbollah and a sustainable peace that is “achieved through strength.”
Netanyahu said that Israeli forces were focused on Bint Jbeil, which he called the capital of Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.
