Benjamin Netanyahu threatens Iran and criticizes Qatar and security officials

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has issued sharp criticisms against regional actors and domestic security officials. In an interview with i24NEWS, Netanyahu labeled Qatar a “hostile” nation that “dictates nothing” in the region. He also issued a direct threat to Iran, stating that the Israel Defense Forces are prepared to strike the “axis of evil” and aiming to destabilize the Iranian government, which he described as a regime standing “on chicken legs.”

Separately, Netanyahu has sparked domestic controversy by accusing military and security leaders, including officials from the Shin Bet, of deliberately failing to alert him during the early hours of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks. He suggested officials may have withheld information to prevent him from ordering an immediate military response. These claims have faced backlash from political opponents, who have characterized the allegations as dangerous conspiracy theories.