ISLAMABAD: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized the strong alliance between Israel and the United States in addressing Iran’s nuclear threat and its regional aggression. Speaking in Jerusalem after a meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Netanyahu highlighted the importance of the two countries’ shared stance against Iran’s actions.
“We stand shoulder to shoulder in countering Iran’s threat,” Netanyahu said, reaffirming that Iran must not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons and that its aggression in the Middle East must be halted.
Secretary Rubio backed this claim, attributing much of the region’s instability to Iran’s support for terrorist groups and its destabilizing activities.
Netanyahu also reflected on Israel’s efforts to combat Iranian influence, citing the weakening of Hezbollah in southern Lebanon and numerous strikes against Iranian-backed targets in Syria. He asserted that Israel would not allow hostile forces to use Syria as a base of operations against them.
The two also discussed the ongoing situation in Gaza, where Israel and Hamas remain in a fragile ceasefire. Netanyahu expressed full cooperation with US President Donald Trump’s strategy on Gaza, while Rubio stressed the need for Hamas to be eradicated as both a governing and military force.
In a joint statement, Netanyahu warned of severe actions if Hamas did not release all hostages, calling it part of a broader US-Israel strategy. He also mentioned Trump’s proposal for Gaza’s future, which has sparked global debate. Rubio defended the boldness of the proposal, urging a break from past approaches to end the cycle of violence.
