Netanyahu Asserts Israel Can Strike Iran’s Nuclear Facilities Without U.S. Support

 As hostilities between Israel and Iran continue to escalate, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared that Israel is fully capable of neutralizing all of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure—regardless of whether the United States chooses to participate.

In a Hebrew-language interview with Kan, Israel’s public broadcaster, Netanyahu emphasized that Israel will not wait for approval from Washington before launching strikes on key Iranian nuclear sites, including the fortified Fordo uranium enrichment facility. “We will achieve all our objectives and strike all of their nuclear facilities. We have the capability to do that,” he asserted.

Addressing the broader political context, Netanyahu added, “The matter of regime change in Iran is, first and foremost, up to the Iranian people. There is no substitute for that.”

When asked about potential coordination with the United States, Netanyahu stated, “Whether President Trump wishes to join or not is entirely his decision. He’ll do what is right for the United States, and I will do what is right for the State of Israel. We are not seeking permission or a green light from any foreign power.”

Fordo, a heavily fortified nuclear site buried under a mountain, is widely believed to be vulnerable only to advanced American bunker-buster munitions. Despite this, Israel has already targeted a range of Iranian nuclear and military facilities, including the Natanz enrichment site, centrifuge production centers near Tehran, and a nuclear facility in Isfahan. Israeli forces have also reportedly destroyed multiple ballistic missile launchers—strikes that have coincided with a noticeable reduction in Iranian attacks.

On Friday, Israeli airstrikes extended deep into Iranian territory, reaching the city of Rasht near the Caspian Sea, according to Iranian media. Prior to the strikes, the Israeli military issued public warnings urging residents to evacuate Rasht’s Industrial City area. However, with Iran’s internet access heavily restricted, the extent to which those warnings were received remains unclear.

Israel, while widely believed to possess the region’s only nuclear arsenal, has never officially confirmed the existence of its weapons program.

Meanwhile, in Washington, President Donald Trump has indicated that a decision on direct U.S. military involvement in the conflict will be made within the next two weeks. Speaking through White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, Trump acknowledged the "substantial chance" of renewed negotiations over Iran’s nuclear ambitions, even as armed exchanges between Israel and Iran entered their seventh consecutive day.

The potential for a direct U.S. strike on Iran’s Fordo facility remains under serious consideration, signaling a critical juncture in the unfolding crisis.