Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised US President Donald Trump, praising his early awareness of Iran’s persistent efforts to possess nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them.

In the context of an interview with the Newsmax network conducted by journalist Christopher Ruddy on Monday, Netanyahu stated that tensions with Tehran are still at their peak, warning that the development of Iranian missile capabilities necessitates the need to confront the regime before it turns into a danger that threatens not only Israel, but extends to Europe and the United States as well.

During the dialogue, “Rudy” drew attention to the attempt to target an area close to the Diego Garcia base, which is about 2,500 miles from Iran, pointing out the increasing range of Iranian weapons, to which “Netanyahu” responded, saying: “It is true that it is not an intercontinental missile yet, but it is getting close to that – about 4,000 kilometers… and this puts large parts of Europe within range.”

Netanyahu also stressed that the progress Iran has made in developing its nuclear program and means of delivery has been underestimated for many years by Western leaders, considering that this wrong assessment has contributed to the exacerbation of the current crisis.

He added: “The question is whether the West will wake up… Iran has been seeking for years to possess nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them, yet the matter has been ignored.”

On the other hand, he praised Trump, saying that he did not ignore this threat, but rather was aware of it from the beginning, and took decisive steps, including withdrawing from the Iranian nuclear agreement.

Netanyahu also added that Israel is working hard to weaken Iran’s military, missile and nuclear capabilities, expressing his belief in the possibility of the Iranian regime collapsing from within, and noting that his country has achieved remarkable progress in undermining these capabilities.

He explained that he could not set a final date for the war, but he confirmed achieving “many goals” and causing “great damage” to the Iranian regime, adding that the final goals of the mission were just around the corner.

He pointed out that Iran still possesses a stockpile of enriched uranium, which was the focus of President Trump’s claims, indicating that Israel had destroyed many centrifuges and their supply lines, and had also worked to undermine missile and manufacturing capabilities and destroy weapons factories.

Netanyahu accused Iran of launching attacks on the Gulf states with the aim of pressuring Washington to stop the war and allow it to produce nuclear weapons, considering that the Iranian regime has been targeting the United States for more than 47 years.

He also stressed that the primary goal is to prevent Iran from possessing intercontinental ballistic missiles equipped with nuclear warheads, noting that Trump “chose to act” to achieve this goal.

Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action in 2018 sparked criticism from Democrats and European allies, while conservatives considered it a necessary step to prevent Iran from exploiting loopholes in the agreement.

Recent intelligence estimates and defense analyzes indicate the growing range and sophistication of Iranian missiles, while experts warn that continued progress may enable Tehran to directly threaten Western capitals.

Netanyahu considered this file to be a very important security challenge to the free world, warning that failure to act would encourage Iran and lead to global destabilization.

He concluded his speech by saying: “This is not only Israel’s problem,” stressing that Iran’s ambitions extend beyond the borders of the region.