Netanyahu threatens forceful response to possible future Iran attacks
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a stern warning to Tehran, declaring that Israel will retaliate fiercely to any future aggressions. Highlighting Israel’s unwavering right to self-defense in light of recent confrontations, he spoke on the tense dynamics shaping the Middle East. This discussion included Iran’s strategic deployment of Hezbollah and the role of the United States in nurturing alliances across the region. Additionally, ongoing domestic protests challenging the Iranian regime were brought into focus.
In an unexpected twist, Netanyahu leveled serious allegations against Iran on Monday, accusing the nation of plotting an attack on one of his sons.
He shared these grave concerns during an appearance on Israel’s Channel 14, where he called upon Israeli authorities to reinforce security measures for all potential candidates for the prime ministership.
“The situation is shocking beyond belief. Iran targeted one of my sons. Their attempt to kill him, to murder my son, is an act of unthinkable aggression,” Netanyahu expressed in his conversation, as documented by the Jerusalem Post.
On September 9, 2025, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the Shin Bet Special Operations Command Center. (Courtesy of Shin Bet Communications)
“Is this part of the intelligence provided to you?” a Channel 14 reporter asked.
“Iran tried to murder one of my sons. And this is why this promise [I am making] is more than a luxury – without it, they could succeed [in killing my son]. People need to show some restraint, especially during an election campaign,” Netanyahu said.
Netanyahu did not clarify which of his two sons was the target of the plot.
Benjamin Netanyahu speaks to members of the media following a meeting with House Speaker Mike Johnson at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on July 8, 2025. (Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The Israeli security agency Shin Bet granted extended protection services to Netanyahu’s wife, Sara, and their sons, Yair and Avner, beginning in July.
The prime minister did not describe details of the assassination plot nor did he say how Israeli intelligence became aware of it.
The accusation comes as Israel remains in negotiations for a withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanon, where they had been fighting the Iran-backed Hezbollah terrorist group.
The news comes after Israel publicized a massive store of rockets, grenades, drones, sniper rifles, automated weapons, anti-tank rocket launchers, mortars and other military firepower it has confiscated from Hezbollah and Hamas in recent months.
Maj. Gen. Ali Abdollahi, second from left, commander of the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, attends a conference in Tehran, Iran, on July 4, 2026. (Iranian Presidency/Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images)
The seized weapons, ranging in manufacturers from the Islamic Republic of Iran to Russia and China to homegrown producers in Lebanon and Gaza, and even a Nazi-era gun, were part of the war machinery used by Hamas and Hezbollah against Israeli civilians and the IDF since Hamas terrorists attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
Hezbollah and Hamas, known proxies of Iran, have killed over 300 American citizens, according to reports.
The Jewish state fought a multifront war against Iran and its proxies at the height of the conflict. The remains of Iranian rockets litter the ground outside the weapons storage facility at Tzrifin for journalists to inspect.