Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has hinted at the possibility of a ground operation in Iran to help topple the regime, stating that a revolution cannot be done from the air alone. The remarks come after Israel's attack on the South Pars gas field and amid a war entering its third week. Netanyahu also claimed Iran no longer has the capacity to enrich uranium or produce ballistic missiles.
In a press conference in Jerusalem on Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to questions on toppling the Iranian regime by stating that “a revolution cannot be done from the air alone [...] there must also be a ground component”. He added: “There are many possibilities for this ground component and I take the liberty of not sharing them all with you”. Netanyahu described Reza Pahlavi, son of the last shah, as a “force for good” that could lead the country. He also claimed Iran “no longer has the capacity to enrich uranium or produce ballistic missiles after 20 days of war”, one of the objectives of the offensive launched by the United States and Israel on February 28. “I promised to change the Middle East and we have done it. Israel is stronger than ever and Iran weaker than ever”, he stated. He indicated the regime is “cracking” and they are “working to create the conditions for its collapse”, though warning it “might survive, but much weaker” and that ultimately it depends on the Iranian population. These words come hours after Netanyahu assured Israel “acted alone” in Tuesday's bombing of the South Pars gas field, shared with Qatar, and has suspended attacks on energy facilities at President Donald Trump's request: “President Trump asked us to suspend future attacks and we are doing it”. Trump, meanwhile, said the war “will end very soon” because Iran “no longer has leaders” and asked Netanyahu not to repeat attacks on oil fields. Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged the US and Israel to stop the war that “threatens to spiral totally out of control”.
