According to Netanyahu, Israel now has almost full control of the airspace over the Iranian capital. According to him, there is a "plan with many surprises" for the next phase of the war.
Addressing the people of Iran, Netanyahu said that "the moment of truth is approaching," that the aim is not division, but freedom from the "yoke of tyranny."
In parallel with the release of the pre-recorded speech on Saturday evening, a new wave of attacks against Tehran was underway.
Several oil depots were hit, according to the Israeli military, which described it as a “further step” to harm the regime. These are the first reported attacks on oil facilities during the current war.
Aircraft destroyed
Earlier, on Saturday night, Tehran's Mehrabad airport was attacked by Israel. There, 16 aircraft belonging to Iran's elite Quds Force were destroyed, according to the Israeli military. The aircraft were to be used to transport weapons to the Lebanese Shiite militia Hezbollah.
Iran's retaliatory attacks have also continued. Explosions have been reported in, for example, Bahrain's capital Manama, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar's capital Doha. Rockets heading towards the US embassy in the Iraqi capital Baghdad were shot down, according to security sources.
Flight alarms have sounded in several cities in Israel, including Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Haifa.
Apology
In a televised speech, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian suggested that Iran's attacks this week on countries around the Persian Gulf were due to "miscommunication" in military ranks.
"I apologize to the neighboring countries that have been attacked by Iran," he said, promising that such attacks would cease "unless an attack on Iran comes from these countries."
The message that the promise was conditional was hammered home by Iran's Chief Justice Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei. Countries that aid Iran's enemies remain in the crosshairs:
The heavy attacks on these targets will continue.
After US President Donald Trump's statement on Friday, when he demanded "unconditional surrender" from Iran, harsher words followed.
On Truth Social, he stated that Iran has been "completely crushed" and will "be hit very hard" going forward - and that attacks are also expected against areas and groups that were not previously intended targets.
