‘Us or Them’: Netanyahu says Israel-Iran conflict will bring ‘a different Middle East’

In a Tuesday (June 17) interview on Israel’s Channel 14, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu framed the ongoing conflict with Iran as a potential catalyst for reshaping the Middle East. He suggested that the military standoff could pave the way for expanded Abraham Accords fostering normalization between Israel and Arab nations. When asked if regime change in Tehran is a goal, Netanyahu took a historical perspective stating, “I see this through a historical lens. Cyrus freed the Jews and today the Jewish state might free the Persians. Not that we’re doing it for them they must rise up themselves but we’re setting the stage.”

Netanyahu claimed without evidence that “80 percent” of Iranians oppose their government. He labeled Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei a “modern Hitler” and vowed to target additional regime facilities. “This conflict could be a turning point,” he said predicting “a different Middle East unlike anything we’ve seen.”

According to the Times of Israel, Netanyahu expressed optimism that the Arab world’s growing openness to Israel combined with the shared threat of Iran could bolster the Abraham Accords. “The Arab world is warming to us,” he said. “It’s us or them when it comes to Iran.”

Meanwhile, Khamenei signaled defiance posting on X, “The battle begins,” his first comment since U.S. President Donald Trump issued assassination threats. Trump recently claimed he knows Khamenei’s precise location but has no immediate plans to strike while demanding Iran’s “unconditional” surrender. The exchange comes amid five days of escalating military actions between Israel and Iran.