Prime Minister Netanyahu at the Officers Training Course Graduation
Prime Minister Netanyahu at the Officers Training Course GraduationEitan Alhadaz-Barak/TPS

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attended the IDF Officers Course Graduation Ceremony at IDF Training Base #1 on Thursday and addressed the graduates and their loved ones.

"I would like to reiterate: We are dismantling the axis of evil that we face, with calculated blows. No longer will terrorist armies be on our borders. Hamas will no longer rule in Gaza and Hezbollah will not sit on our northern border, at positions a few meters from our border, from which it could invade. This will not happen anymore. We are also severing Iran's weapons pipelines to Hezbollah – through Syria and from there to Lebanon," Netanyahu stated.

The Prime Minister also mentioned the possible ceasefire in Lebanon: "I would like to make it clear: The agreements, documents, proposals, and numbers – 1701, 1559 – with all due respect, are not the main point. The main point is our ability and determination to enforce security, thwart attacks against us, and act against the arming of our enemies, as necessary and despite any pressure and constraints. This is the main point."

He continued: "Regarding Iran, we struck its soft underbelly. The haughty words of the Iranian regime's leaders cannot cover up the fact in Iran today, Israel has greater freedom of action than ever before. We can go anywhere that we need to in Iran.

"The supreme objective that I have set for the IDF and the security services is to prevent Iran from attaining nuclear weapons. Halting the nuclear program has been – and remains – our chief concern. I have not taken, we have not taken and we will not take, our eyes off this objective. Obviously, I cannot detail our plans to achieve this supreme goal."