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ISRAELI Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has indicated that the ongoing military campaign by the United States and Israel against Iran, which began with airstrikes on Tehran on Saturday, may require “some time” but will not extend over years. Speaking on Fox News’ Hannity programme on Monday, Netanyahu emphasised that the conflict would not become an open-ended war.
“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,” Reuters cited Netanyahu saying, framing the operation as focused and constrained in duration.
The strikes on Tehran killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and triggered retaliatory missile attacks against Israel and U.S. bases across the Middle East, intensifying regional tensions.
U.S. President Donald Trump initially projected a four- to five-week campaign but subsequently offered shifting explanations for the war, implying broader objectives.
On Saturday, Trump encouraged Iranians to “take back your country,” suggesting a possible goal of government change.
By Monday, he emphasised the campaign’s purpose as preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons and countering its long-range missile programme, which Tehran denies pursuing.
Netanyahu also presented the conflict as an opportunity for broader regional stability. Asked whether he envisioned a lasting peace, including between Israel and Saudi Arabia, he replied: “Yes I do.”
He further suggested that U.S. and Israeli operations might facilitate political change within Iran: “Now, of course, it’s up to the people of Iran in the final count to change the government, but we are creating — America and Israel together are creating — the conditions for them to do so.”
Public sentiment in the United States appears divided. A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted over the weekend indicated that only one in four Americans approved of the strikes, reflecting broader scepticism shaped by long-term U.S. involvement in conflicts such as Iraq and Afghanistan.
The campaign widened on Monday as Israel struck targets in Lebanon in response to Hezbollah attacks, highlighting the rapid regional escalation.
Netanyahu’s assurance of a limited timeline contrasts with the fluid messaging from Washington, reflecting uncertainties over the ultimate objectives and the potential consequences of the conflict for both the Middle East and international stability. - March 3, 2026
