Benjamin Netanyahu confirms holding "very warm" phone call with Donald Trump on Israel's need to "complete its victory"

Benjamin Netanyahu. Pic/AFP

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed holding a phone call with US President-elect Donald Trump, during which he reaffirmed his country's 'determination' to continue acting against Iran and its armed proxies, CNN reported. Netanyahu said in the video message that he had a "very friendly, very warm, and very important conversation" on Saturday (local time) and told about the need for Israel to "complete its victory."

The leaders also spoke of the need to bring home the remaining hostages in Gaza. Hamas carried out a massive terror attack on Israel on October 7 killing over 1200 people and holding over 250 as hostages. Around 100 of them are still believed to be in captivity in Gaza. Israel launched a strong counter-offensive targeting Hamas units in Gaza in an operation that has killed over 45,000 Palestinians.

"I discussed all of this again last night with my friend, US President-elect Donald Trump," Netanyahu said in a statement. "It was a very friendly, very warm and very important conversation. We spoke about the need to complete Israel's victory, and we also spoke at length about the efforts we are making to free our hostages," he said as quoted by CNN.

Netanyahu said that Israel continues to "work tirelessly to bring our hostages home, both the living and the dead. And I add, the less we talk about it, the better, and so with God's help, we will succeed." On Sunday, the Israeli Prime Minister took to social media platform X and strongly affirmed that they would "change" the Middle East. "I said we would change the Middle East and this is what is happening. Syria is not the same Syria. Lebanon is not the same Lebanon. Gaza is not the same Gaza. Iran is not the same Iran," Netanyahu said in a post on X.

"We are committed to preventing Hezbollah from rearming," he said. "This is an ongoing test for Israel, we must meet it - and we will meet it. I say to Hezbollah and Iran in no uncertain terms - to prevent you from harming us, we will continue to act against you as much as necessary, in every arena and at all times," as per Times of Israel.

Since the rebels led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) overthrew the over two-decades-long Bashar al-Assad regime on December 8, Israel has launched hundreds of airstrikes across Syria and carried out a land incursion that stretches past the occupied Golan Heights into a previously demilitarized buffer zone, as reported by The Washington Post.

The Israeli army swiftly took control of the abandoned army positions, and air attacks have decimated most of Syria's military capabilities. Netanyahu reiterated that recent airstrikes against Syrian military sites were carried out to ensure that the weapons would not be used against Israel in the future. Israel also hit arms supply routes to Hezbollah, he said, acording to Times of Israel.

"We have no interest in a conflict with Syria," Netanyahu said. "We will determine Israel's policy toward Syria according to the emerging reality on the ground." Netanyahu has said that Israel has "no intention of interfering" in Syria's internal affairs, but also warned to take "necessary" measures if the current regime allows Iran to re-establish itself in Syria or transfers weapons to Hezbollah.

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