ISRAELI Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he could not say how soon the United States-led war against Iran would last.
However, he noted that it would not drag for years, even as the conflict spirals across the Middle East with fresh Israeli strikes on Iranian-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon and retaliatory Iranian attacks on United State-allied Gulf states.
Speaking on Fox News’ ‘Hannity’ programme, Netanyahu dismissed comparisons to past prolonged wars in the region.
“I said it could be quick and decisive. It may take some time, but it’s not going to take years. It’s not an endless war,” he said.
Nadav Shoshani, an Israeli Lieutenant Colonel, told reporters in an online briefing that while the timeline could shift depending on developments, Israel prepared for a campaign lasting weeks. He also indicated that deploying Israeli ground forces into Iran was unlikely.
Meanwhile, explosions were heard across Tel Aviv as Israeli air defences intercepted incoming Iranian missiles. Israel confirmed it had struck the Tehran headquarters of Iran’s state broadcaster, IRIB, as well as Hezbollah positions in towns across Lebanon.
The Israeli military said it had sent additional troops into southern Lebanon, positioning them near the border as part of what it described as “forward defense.” Despite a November 2024 ceasefire with Hezbollah, Israel has maintained troops at five strategic points inside Lebanon.
US President Donald Trump, who joined Israel in launching strikes on Iran on Saturday, initially suggested the conflict could last four to five weeks. However, he has since defended the possibility of a broader and potentially open-ended campaign.
Since the fighting began, Iran has carried out missile and drone attacks not only against Israel and US forces, but also against several US-allied countries in the Middle East. The escalating violence has disrupted critical global energy shipments from the Gulf and forced the closure of major air routes used for both short and long haul international flights.
In Saudi Arabia, two drones believed to have originated from Iran struck the US Embassy compound in Riyadh early Tuesday, causing minor damage and sparking a fire. Saudi authorities said at least eight additional drones were intercepted before reaching the capital.
Hundreds of civilians have reportedly been killed in Iran, Israel, Lebanon, and other countries since the war began, including the US and Israeli airstrikes that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed responsibility for an attack on a US air base in Bahrain, saying its naval forces destroyed the main command building in what it called “Operation Promise of the Truth 4.” According to the IRGC, 20 drones and three missiles struck targets at the Sheikh Isa base.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that “the hardest hits are yet to come,” stating that US objectives, including the destruction of Iran’s ballistic missile launch and manufacturing capabilities, could be achieved without deploying ground troops. However, he added that Trump had not ruled out any options.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues. She has documented sexual war crimes in armed conflict, sex for grades in Nigerian Universities, harmful traditional practices and human trafficking.