Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that the joint U.S. and Israeli campaign against Iran could take "some time" to complete, but he rejected the prospect that the conflict would stretch into years.
The strikes carried out by the U.S. and Israel over the weekend resulted in the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and set off a series of retaliatory measures. Iranian forces responded with attacks on Israel, and there were additional strikes on Arab nations that maintain ties with the U.S. across the Middle East.
Earlier remarks from U.S. President Donald Trump had suggested the war might last four to five weeks. Since then, the president has articulated broader justifications for an expanded and potentially open-ended campaign against Iran.
Netanyahu pushed back against the idea of a protracted, multi-year conflict. Speaking to Fox News' "Hannity" program, he said:
"I said it could be quick and decisive. It may take some time, but it’s not going to take years. It’s not an endless war."
He characterized the current military action as a focused effort to further impede Tehran's nuclear program, which, in Netanyahu's view, posed a threat to the United States. He repeated that theme and emphasized the intended purpose of the offensive as one element in a strategy aimed at reducing that perceived threat.
Beyond the immediate kinetic objectives, Netanyahu framed the conflict as a potential opening for longer-term diplomatic outcomes. He said he saw the situation as an opportunity for lasting peace in the Middle East, explicitly including the prospect of improved relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia. He reiterated that he believed a sustainable path to peace was possible in the region.
Netanyahu also addressed the Iranian public directly, calling on them to "take back your country." The prime minister did not provide a timetable beyond his statement that the campaign would not be an "endless war."
Context and note: The sequence of events described above reflects statements and actions reported around the weekend strikes and subsequent comments from political leaders. The public remarks quoted were made by the individuals cited.