Netanyahu says campaign 'changing face of Middle East' as Israel, Iran trade strikes amid tension

As Israel and Iran continue to trade heavy strikes on the fourth day of the conflict, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted on Monday, June 16, that Israel's campaign against Tehran was "changing the face of the Middle East." " "We are changing the face of the Middle East, and that can lead to radical changes inside Iran itself," he said.

Netanyahu's remarks came hours after a dramatic Israeli attack on an Iranian state TV building that forced a presenter to flee mid-broadcast under a shower of dust and debris. The attack prompted a threat of retaliation against Israeli news channels by Tehran.

Fresh tensions erupted in the Middle East after Israel, on Friday, June 13, launched a surprise aerial campaign against targets across Iran, saying they aimed to prevent their arch-foe from acquiring atomic weapons. The sudden flare-up in hostilities has sparked fears of a wider conflict, with US President Donald Trump urging Iran back to the negotiating table after Israel's attacks derailed ongoing nuclear talks.


While Trump has maintained that Washington has "nothing to do" with its ally's campaign, Iran's foreign minister said Monday that the US President could stop the attacks with "one phone call." Israel's strikes have so far killed at least 224 people, including top military commanders, nuclear scientists, and civilians, according to Iranian authorities.

Netanyahu told a press conference Monday evening that Israel was eliminating Iran's security leadership "one after the other." "We are changing the face of the Middle East, and that can lead to radical changes inside Iran itself," he said.

In retaliation to Israel's onslaught, Tehran has launched several waves of missiles in retaliation for Israel's attacks, with Iran's Revolutionary Guards warning of "more devastating operations" to come. In Tehran, the live feed of Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) was interrupted when an Israeli strike hit its building on Monday. The presenter was in the midst of lambasting Israel when an explosion rocked the facility, causing the monitors behind her to cut out and sending debris raining from the ceiling, live footage showed.