Prime Minister Netanyahu told IDF officer cadets at Base 1 on Thursday that achievements have been made, citing Operations Rising Lion and Roaring Lion. He said he would not list all accomplishments out of consideration for cadets in the heat, and added that more tasks remain against Iran and Hamas, according to Moriah Asraf and Doron Kadosh (N13 / Army Radio).
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke Thursday at the IDF's Officer Training School (Bahad 1) and defended the achievements of recent military campaigns. Speaking to cadets, Netanyahu said: "Only the blind will say 'there are no achievements.' I won't detail them all because I'm sparing you in the scorching sun." He specifically cited Operations Rising Lion (June 2025) and Roaring Lion (February 2026) as "great achievements," and stated there are additional tasks remaining against Iran and Hamas.
The statement comes amid ongoing public and internal debate in Israel over the strategic outcomes of the two major military campaigns against Iran, which included joint US-Israel operations. Netanyahu has faced criticism from security figures who questioned whether the operations achieved their stated goals. The prime minister's remarks at the training base appear aimed at bolstering morale among future field commanders and countering narratives questioning the campaigns' efficacy.
As The Zioneer has covered, Netanyahu previously rejected claims that he erred in Operation Roaring Lion, and senior intelligence figures have expressed concerns about his public framing of achievements. The comments at Bahad 1 on Thursday represent the prime minister's most direct public statement to military personnel on the subject since the operations concluded.
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Source and signal
- Internal intake