Jerusalem [Israel], March 20 (ANI): Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday (local time) claimed that after 20 days of joint US-Israeli strikes, Iran no longer has the capability to enrich uranium or produce ballistic missiles.

He claimed that in the first phase of the military operation, United States and Israel destroyed the missile stockpiles, heavily impacted the drones and missile arsenal, including nuclear infrastructure, and now, they are destroying the industrial capability of building back those missiles in the first place. 'We are winning and Iran is being decimated. Iran's missile and drone arsenal is being massively degraded and will be destroyed. Hundreds of their launchers have been destroyed, their stockpiles of missiles are being hit hard and so are the industries that produce then. That's important. In Rising Lion, we destroyed the missiles, and we destroyed a lot of the infrastructure. What we are destroying now are the factories that produce the components that make these missiles. We are wiping out their entire industrial base that we didn't before,' PM Netanyahu told reporters.

He further said Israel and the United States are 'protecting the entire world' through their ongoing military campaign, asserting that the strikes have significantly weakened Iran's military capacity, CNN reported.

However, Netanyahu did not provide evidence to substantiate these claims, as per CNN.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier said it was 'too early to say' what political outcome could emerge in Iran, even as he stressed that efforts are underway to create conditions for change in the country.

Responding to questions about a potential post-regime scenario, Netanyahu said, 'You want a transitional leader. You don't want to replace one Ayatollah with another, you don't want to replace Hitler with Himmler.'

He added that any change would ultimately depend on the Iranian people. 'It's up to the Iranian people to... choose the moment and to rise to the moment. We can create the conditions, but they have to exploit those conditions,' he said.

He also reiterated that regime change cannot be achieved through air power alone. 'You can't do revolutions from the air... there has to be a ground component as well,' he said, while declining to elaborate on possible strategies.

On the economic front, Netanyahu said Israel is supporting US-led efforts to stabilise global energy markets by reopening key shipping routes.

'Americans are working very hard... to open the Strait of Hormuz. And if they succeed, which I think they will, then oil prices will come down,' he said.

The Israeli Prime Minister highlighted close coordination with US President Donald Trump, particularly on countering Iran's nuclear ambitions.

'I didn't have to convince President Trump about the need to prevent Iran from developing its nuclear program, putting it underground, and being able to launch nuclear-tipped missiles at the United States. He understood that. He explained it to me. I didn't explain it to him,' Netanyahu said, adding, 'Our partnership is the only way to avoid this catastrophic development.'

He also proposed long-term alternatives to reduce reliance on vulnerable maritime chokepoints. 'Instead of going through the choke points of the Strait of Hormuz... have oil pipelines, gas pipelines going West through the Arabian Peninsula right up to Israel, and our Mediterranean ports,' he said, describing the idea as 'definitely possible.'

Expressing optimism about the trajectory of the conflict, Netanyahu said, 'I also see this war ending a lot faster than people think.'

The remarks come amid heightened tensions in the region, with ongoing military operations involving Israel, the United States and Iran, alongside concerns over energy security and the future political landscape in Tehran. (ANI)