Quick Facts

Israel says the June 13 strike on Iran is a targeted, time-limited military operation, not a declaration of war. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu framed it as a “targeted operation to roll back the Iranian threat to Israel’s very survival,” stressing it will last “for as many days as it takes” but need not widen further. 

Jerusalem’s security establishment underscores that the goal is to blunt Iran’s nuclear-and-missile program—not to topple Tehran’s rulers. An in-depth analysis published just after the strikes notes that, while Netanyahu voiced hope for the Iranian people’s eventual “liberation,” Israel’s explicit objective is not regime-change; the campaign is confined to removing the strategic threat. 

At the diplomatic level, Israeli officials are urging Iran to avoid steps that would escalate the situation into an all-out war. Israel’s U.N. ambassador Danny Danon has reiterated that Israel “does not seek war,” warning that only further Iranian aggression would broaden the conflict.