NETANYAHU, TRUMP EXCHANGE CONGRATULATIONS, HAIL AIRSTRIKES ON IRAN AS ‘HISTORIC MOMENT’ FOR MIDDLE EAST

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Agency report

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump exchanged congratulations following the airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, with Netanyahu hailing the operation as a historic milestone for the Middle East.

“Congratulations President Trump. Your bold decision to target Iran’s nuclear facilities with the awesome and righteous might of the United States will change history,” Netanyahu said in a video message released shortly after Trump confirmed the attack.

He praised the US for being “truly unsurpassed” and said the strikes marked a “pivot of history” that would “help lead the Middle East and beyond to a future of prosperity and peace.”

“President Trump and I often say, peace through strength. First comes strength, then comes peace,” Netanyahu added.

In a separate statement, he confirmed that the strikes were conducted in coordination with Israel and claimed that the long-standing objective of dismantling Iran’s nuclear program had been accomplished.

Earlier on Sunday, President Trump announced via his social media platform that U.S. warplanes had targeted Iran’s nuclear facilities in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, extending congratulations to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu on the operation’s success.

“We worked as a team like perhaps no team has ever worked before, and we’ve gone a long way to erasing this horrible threat to Israel,” Trump said.

Trump’s decision followed several days of deliberation and marked a clear indication of direct U.S. involvement in the growing conflict between Israel and Iran.

Israel had launched its airstrikes on June 13, citing intelligence that Iran was nearing the development of a nuclear weapon—an allegation Tehran has denied.

Trump expressed gratitude to Netanyahu for Israel’s collaboration and reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to preventing Iran from ever obtaining nuclear weapons.

The international response was swift. While Israel praised the strikes, the United Nations issued an urgent appeal for restraint and de-escalation.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said, “I am gravely alarmed by the use of force by the United States against Iran today.

“This is a dangerous escalation in a region already on the edge – and a direct threat to international peace and security.

“There is a growing risk that this conflict could rapidly get out of control – with catastrophic consequences for civilians, the region, and the world.

“I call on Member States to de-escalate and to uphold their obligations under the UN Charter and other rules of international law.

“At this perilous hour, it is critical to avoid a spiral of chaos.

“There is no military solution. The only path forward is diplomacy. The only hope is peace.”

As tensions surge, the international community watches anxiously, fearing the deepening crisis could lead to a broader conflict.

(The Jakarta Post)