From Gaza to Somaliland: Netanyahu speaks out in US media

• Iran Nuclear & Missile Programs: Netanyahu warns Iran is trying to rebuild missile and nuclear capabilities damaged in the June war and must accept inspections and halt uranium enrichment.
• Hamas Disarmament: Progress on the US-backed Gaza peace plan hinges on Hamas surrendering weapons and dismantling tunnels; Netanyahu says diplomatic options will be explored.
• Somaliland Recognition & West Bank: Netanyahu defends 'Israel’s' recognition of Somaliland as a moderate, democratic state and downplays West Bank settler violence, stressing 'Israeli' military control.

'Israeli' Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Iran is working to restore missile and nuclear capabilities damaged during the June war, while reiterating that Hamas must fully disarm for progress on Washington’s Gaza peace plan, in a series of interviews with US media outlets during his visit to the United States.

Iran ‘Set Back’ but Seeking to Recover

Speaking to Fox News, Netanyahu said 'Israeli' strikes had significantly delayed Iran’s missile and nuclear programs but warned that Tehran is attempting to rebuild them.

“We set them back considerably in both areas, but they’ll try,” he said, adding that Iran must abandon uranium enrichment, remove enriched material from the country, and accept international inspections.

Netanyahu claimed that 'Israel' does not seek escalation but warned that renewed aggression would be met forcefully. “If they do, all bets are off,” he said.

Disarmament Key to Gaza Plan

Netanyahu said the main obstacle to advancing the second phase of the US-backed Gaza peace plan is Hamas’s refusal to disarm.

“One word: disarmament,” he said, arguing that Hamas continues to maintain tens of thousands of weapons and an extensive tunnel network. He claimed the group still has around 20,000 armed fighters and some 60,000 assault rifles.

While Hamas has denied agreeing to disarm, Netanyahu said 'Israel' would give diplomatic efforts a chance, including proposals to deploy an international stabilization force in Gaza. “If it can be done the easy way, fine. And if not, it will be done another way,” he said.

Settler Violence ‘Limited,’ Netanyahu Says

Addressing rising settler violence in the West Bank, Netanyahu downplayed the scale of the problem, saying it involved a small group of youths and insisting the government is acting to stop it.

He described the perpetrators as about 70 teenagers from outside the West Bank and condemned acts such as vandalism and arson, calling them “vigilanteism.”

Netanyahu rejected suggestions of a rift with US President Donald Trump, saying both leaders agree that the territory must not become a base for attacks on 'Israel', while maintaining that 'Israel' must retain military control over the area.

US officials, however, have expressed concern over unchecked settler violence, settlement expansion, and 'Israel’s' withholding of Palestinian Authority tax revenues.

Defending Recognition of Somaliland

In a separate interview with Newsmax, Netanyahu defended 'Israel’s' decision to formally recognize the self-declared Republic of Somaliland, despite international criticism.

He described Somaliland as a moderate, democratic Muslim society seeking to join the Abraham Accords, contrasting it with instability in the rest of Somalia.

'Israeli' media have reported that the move is also linked to strategic considerations, including Somaliland’s proximity to Yemen, which could enhance 'Israel’s' ability to monitor and counter Houthi forces.