Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that the U.S. and Israel's war against Iran may take "some time" but it will not take years.
The U.S. and Israeli air war against Iran began with attacks against Tehran on Saturday, killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and prompting Iranian retaliation against Israel and missile attacks at Arab nations with U.S. bases across the Middle East.
President Donald Trump initially projected the war to last four to five weeks, but added it could go on longer, and has since sought to justify a broad, open-ended war on Iran.
Netanyahu rejected the idea of the conflict lasting years, like previous wars in the region.
"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," Netanyahu said on Fox News' "Hannity" programme.
The assault on Iran formed part of a list of Trump's foreign policy actions that have marked a striking shift from his "America First" rhetoric against U.S. interventions when he campaigned in the 2024 elections.
Netanyahu said he saw the war as an opportunity for lasting peace in the Middle East, including between Israel and Saudi Arabia.
"Yes I do," he said, when asked if he saw a lasting path to peace in the region.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll showed over the weekend that only one in four Americans approved of U.S. strikes on Iran that have plunged the Middle East into chaos.
U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan that lasted several years made many Americans skeptical of Washington's direct involvement in wars on foreign soil.
Netanyahu said the U.S. and Israel's war against Iran was creating a scenario for the Iranian people to topple their government.
"Now, of course, it's up to the people of Iran in the final count to change the government, but we are creating - America and Israel together are creating - the conditions for them to do so," he said.
Trump's stated aims and timeline for the war have shifted since it began over the weekend. On Saturday when he announced the strikes, he urged Iranians to "take back your country" and implied a goal of toppling the government.
In comments on Monday, Trump made no mention of toppling Iran's government and said the war was needed to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon, which Tehran denies seeking, and to thwart its long-range ballistic missile programme.
Israel is widely believed to be the only Middle Eastern country with nuclear weapons. Washington also has nuclear weapons.
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A tanker reported being hit by unknown projectiles in the Strait of Hormuz, a maritime security organisation said on Monday, shortly after President Donald Trump said the U.S. would start helping free ships stranded in the Gulf by the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to travel to the Vatican and Italy this week for a series of meetings, according to Italian media reports, in a visit that comes amid strained relations between Washington and parts of Europe and heightened tensions involving Pope Leo XIV.
Israel has approved a major defence deal to purchase new squadrons of advanced fighter jets from U.S. manufacturers Lockheed Martin and Boeing, the country’s defence ministry said on Sunday (3 May).
Ukraine has launched a new wave of drone strikes on Sunday (3 May) across Russia, hitting key infrastructure and causing casualties in several regions, officials on both sides said.
President Trump has issued a warning to the international community, claiming a nuclear-armed Iran would strike Israel "very quickly" before targeting Europe and the United States.
Ukraine is monitoring “unusual activity” along its border with Belarus, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a video statement released on Saturday (2 May). He warned that Kyiv is ready to respond if necessary amid continued regional tensions linked to Russia’s war.
Hundreds of young people in South Korea have gathered in Seoul to take part in a city-backed “power nap contest”, aimed at drawing attention to the country’s chronic sleep deprivation.
Türkiye’s Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz is set to visit Armenia in early May to take part in the 8th European Political Community Summit, in what will be the highest-level Turkish visit to the country to date. Meanwhile, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is reportedly expected to miss the forum.
U.S. President Donald Trump has said he will “soon be reviewing” a new 14-point proposal sent by Iran, casting doubt on the chances of a deal after Tehran called for security guarantees, an end to naval blockades and a halt to the war across the region, including in Lebanon.
Israel has approved a major defence deal to purchase new squadrons of advanced fighter jets from U.S. manufacturers Lockheed Martin and Boeing, the country’s defence ministry said on Sunday (3 May).
Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi has been taken to hospital in Iran after what her family described as a “catastrophic deterioration” in her health, including a severe cardiac crisis.
President Donald Trump has said the United States could restart strikes on Iran “if they misbehave”, as he waits to review the full details of a new proposal from Tehran.
Tourism across Central Asia is expanding rapidly, with millions of visitors arriving each year as the region becomes an increasingly competitive global travel destination, though growth rates vary significantly between countries.
Baku will host the 13th World Urban Forum (WUF13) from 17 to 22 May, bringing together around 25,000 participants from 176 countries to address the global housing crisis and sustainable urban development.
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