Netanyahu Threatens to Act Against Iran, 'Not Just Against Its Proxies'

MUNICH - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday warned Israel would act against Iran, and not only against its proxies, if needed.

"We will act if necessary not just against Iran's proxies but against Iran itself," he said," Netanyahu told the Munich Security Conference.

Iran's Foreign Minister Javad Zarif, who spoke after Netanyahu, ridiculed the Israeli premier's remarks and called them 'a cartoonish circus.'

During his speech, Netanyahu said that Iran was not Nazi Germany, but stated that the two regimes share many similarities. "Israel will not allow the Iranian regime to put a noose of terror around our neck," Netanyahu said.

Netanyahu held up a piece of an Iranian drone Israel shot down last week after it infiltrated its territory. Holding the wreckage, Netanyahu asked Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who was sitting in the crowd: "Do you recognize it? You should, it’s yours. Don’t test us."

An Iranian drone that crossed into Israeli airspace was intercepted by the Israel Air Force on February 10, sparking a flare-up between Israel and Syria, with an Israeli F-16 shot down and an extensive Israeli strike against Iranian and Syrian targets in Syria.

In a briefing two days later, the Israel Air Force’s second-in-command, Brig. Gen. Tomer Bar, admitted that he still had no idea what mission the Shahed-141 drone was on.

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Asked during a questions and answers session about the feasibility of a two-state solution between Israel and the Palestinians, the prime minister reiterated he does not support a full Palestinian state, but a "state minus." Netanyahu said the Palestinians should have self-rule, but not the "freedom to threaten our security."