Israel's U.N. ambassador defends "Operation Roaring Lion," says strikes aim to stop Iran's nuclear progress

Danny Denholm, Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, defended a continuing joint U.S.-Israeli operation he identified as "Operation Roaring Lion," telling reporters at a U.N. briefing that the campaign's goal is to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear capability.

"Our objectives are clear," Denholm said. "No nuclear weapon, no ballistic missile threat, destroy their navy and crush the regime's proxy network." He added: "We are hitting decisively, surgically, without apology. ... We will not stop until we achieve our objectives." (Danny Denholm)

Denholm said Iranian leadership has responded with missile strikes he described as indiscriminate, listing Israel and neighboring states and saying some rockets landed as far away as Cyprus. He accused Iran of striking civilian sites, naming Beth Shemesh and Beersheba and saying "four apartment buildings were destroyed" in Beth Shemesh and "nine innocent people were murdered, including these three young siblings, Sarah, Abigail, and Yakov Vitton." He attributed those numbers to his briefing and framed them to contrast Israel's stated targeting of military assets with what he described as Iranian attacks on civilians.

When asked whether Iranian nuclear facilities were among the operation's targets, Denholm said preventing a nuclear capability is a stated goal and that Israel will act as necessary: "One of the goals of this joint operation is to make sure that they don't have nuclear capabilities ... So we will do whatever is necessary to make sure they don't have nuclear capability." (Danny Denholm)

On the operation's timetable, reporters asked whether strikes would continue for weeks. Denholm replied the campaign would continue "as long as it takes," and described the civilian hardship in Israel from sustained sheltering and sirens.

Denholm also criticized a tweet by Vanessa Frazier, whom he identified as the U.N. secretary-general's special representative for children and armed conflict, saying a photograph she posted was not taken in the recent days and questioned why the U.N. had not publicly condemned recent missile strikes on Israeli civilians in the same terms. The ambassador accused the U.N. of placing "accusations first, facts later" but did not provide verification for the photograph's provenance during the briefing.

Reporters pressed other issues. Pamela Falk of US News & World Report asked whether Iranian nuclear sites were included in the current campaign; Victoria Churchill of the Daily Mail asked whether any current Iranian leaders could be trusted to lead an alternative government; a questioner who gave only the name Stella asked about the psychological toll on Israeli civilians. Denholm expressed condolences for civilian losses and decried the humanitarian consequences, but repeatedly emphasized the military objectives and Israel's determination to continue operations until those objectives are met.

The briefing included assertions of civilian casualties and contested claims about a U.N.-posted photograph; Denholm said he had seen differing reports on a school strike and did not have exact information. The United Nations did not provide a response during the session.

The moderator closed the session after a final exchange. No formal U.N. action or official response from the U.N. representative appeared on the record during the briefing.