Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke about Operation Shield and Arrow for the first time this afternoon (Tuesday) following a security assessment at the Kirya, the military headquarters in Tel Aviv.
“Those who hurt us should know that we will hurt them,” Netanyahu stated.
The Prime Minister said that Iran is behind the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization whose leaders were killed overnight. “Our primary problem in connection with today’s events is Iran. 95 percent of Israel’s current security issues are about Iran. My policy is designed to delay Iran’s transition to a state with political nuclear capability.”
“We will do everything we can to prevent Iran from going nuclear. We need to prevent Iran from establishing a second Lebanon in Syria. Iran wants a multi-arena campaign against us and if we need to fight such a battle, we can,” he added.

The political-security Cabinet will hold a discussion on the operation this evening. Netanyahu has summoned Shas MK Aryeh Deri and Knesset Foreign Affairs and Security Committee Chairman Yuli Edelstein to attend the discussion as observers.
The Defense and Strategic Affairs Ministers, the heads of the National Security Council, the Mossad, and the Shin Bet, the IDF Chief of Staff, and other senior officials and officers participated in the security assessment at the Kirya this afternoon.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir was not invited to the security assessment.