Netanyahu vows to subdue Iran, claims airspace control

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel, alongside the United States, will continue its war with Iran, claiming to have near-total control of Tehran’s airspace after a week of bombardment. ‘We have a systematic plan to eradicate the Iran regime and achieve many other goals,’ Netanyahu said, in remarks carried by AFP on Sunday, 8 March 2026. ‘Citizens, you asked me, the government, and our heroic military to continue until victory, and I thank you. I can assure you that we will continue with all our strength,’ Netanyahu added. The Israeli leader said that, thanks to bombardment carried out by Israeli and American pilots, they had gained control of Iran’s airspace. ‘We have achieved near-complete control of the airspace,’ he said. Speaking to the Iranian people, he said the ‘moment of truth’ would come soon, as he claimed Israel is working to help free them from the ‘chains of tyranny’. He also claimed Israel had successfully ‘transformed the Middle East’ and shifted the balance of power in the region. The Israeli military previously stated that they had carried out around 3,400 strikes against Iran during the first week of the war, dropping around 7,500 munitions.