Netanyahu Hopes to Break Free from US Military Aid Within 10 Years, Seeks to Strengthen Gulf Ties
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated in an interview that he hopes to break free from US military assistance within 10 years. He also noted that Israel is actively seeking to strengthen relations with Gulf states. Furthermore, he believes that if the Iranian regime collapses, the network of terrorist proxies such as Hezbollah and Hamas will also collapse.
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- 📰 Published: May 11, 2026 at 11:48
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Central News Agency
(Central News Agency, New York, 10th, comprehensive foreign reports) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated in an interview that he hopes to break free from US military assistance within 10 years. He also noted that Israel is actively seeking to strengthen relations with Gulf states. Furthermore, if the Iranian regime collapses, the network of terrorist proxies such as Hezbollah and Hamas will also collapse.
Reuters reported that Netanyahu, in an interview with CBS's "60 Minutes," said, "I want to cut the financial aid that America gives, the financial part of our military cooperation, to zero."
Netanyahu pointed out that Israel receives approximately $3.8 billion in US military aid annually. The United States has agreed to provide Israel with a total of $38 billion in military aid between 2018 and 2028.
He added, however, that now is "absolutely" the right time to reset the US-Israel financial relationship. "I don't want to wait for the next Congress," he said, "I want to start now."
Israel has long enjoyed bipartisan congressional support for military aid in the United States, but since the outbreak of the Gaza War in October 2023, congressional and public support for Israel has gradually wavered.
According to a Pew Research Center survey in March, 60% of American adults have a negative view of Israel, and 59% have little or no trust in Netanyahu's actions in international affairs. Both figures increased by 7 percentage points compared to a year ago.
Netanyahu stated that the decline in US support for Israel is "almost 100% highly correlated with the exponential growth of social media."
He said that several unnamed countries "essentially manipulate" social media, and this "seriously harms us," but Netanyahu does not believe in censorship.
Since the US and Israel launched a war against Iran on February 28, US President Trump, a close ally of Netanyahu, has also seen a decline in public support.
This war has led to rising gasoline prices, and the US inflation rate, calculated on an annualized basis, climbed in March to its highest level since May 2023.
A significant factor in rising oil prices is Iran's control over navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. Under normal circumstances, 20% of the world's oil passes through this strait.
Netanyahu stated that it was not until after the war broke out that Israeli planners realized Iran's ability to close the strait. "It took them a while to understand how big this risk was, but now they understand."
In the "60 Minutes" interview, Netanyahu refused to disclose military plans or timelines for Iran, but he spoke about the potential impact if the Iranian leadership changes.
"If this regime does weaken, or even possibly gets overthrown, I think that would be the end of Hezbollah, the end of Hamas, and very possibly the end of the Houthis, because the entire network of terrorist proxies that Iran has built will collapse."
When asked if it was possible to overthrow the Iranian regime, Netanyahu said: "Possible? Yes. Guaranteed? No." (Compiler: Chu Hsiang-Ping) 1150511
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(Central News Agency, New York, 10th, comprehensive foreign reports) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated in an interview that he hopes to break free from US military assistance within 10 years. He also noted that Israel is actively seeking to strengthen relations with Gulf states. Furthermore, if the Iranian regime collapses, the network of terrorist proxies such as Hezbollah and Hamas will also collapse.
Reuters reported that Netanyahu, in an interview with CBS's "60 Minutes," said, "I want to cut the financial aid that America gives, the financial part of our military cooperation, to zero."
Netanyahu pointed out that Israel receives approximately $3.8 billion in US military aid annually. The United States has agreed to provide Israel with a total of $38 billion in military aid between 2018 and 2028.
He added, however, that now is "absolutely" the right time to reset the US-Israel financial relationship. "I don't want to wait for the next Congress," he said, "I want to start now."
Israel has long enjoyed bipartisan congressional support for military aid in the United States, but since the outbreak of the Gaza War in October 2023, congressional and public support for Israel has gradually wavered.
According to a Pew Research Center survey in March, 60% of American adults have a negative view of Israel, and 59% have little or no trust in Netanyahu's actions in international affairs. Both figures increased by 7 percentage points compared to a year ago.
Netanyahu stated that the decline in US support for Israel is "almost 100% highly correlated with the exponential growth of social media."
He said that several unnamed countries "essentially manipulate" social media, and this "seriously harms us," but Netanyahu does not believe in censorship.
Since the US and Israel launched a war against Iran on February 28, US President Trump, a close ally of Netanyahu, has also seen a decline in public support.
This war has led to rising gasoline prices, and the US inflation rate, calculated on an annualized basis, climbed in March to its highest level since May 2023.
A significant factor in rising oil prices is Iran's control over navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. Under normal circumstances, 20% of the world's oil passes through this strait.
Netanyahu stated that it was not until after the war broke out that Israeli planners realized Iran's ability to close the strait. "It took them a while to understand how big this risk was, but now they understand."
In the "60 Minutes" interview, Netanyahu refused to disclose military plans or timelines for Iran, but he spoke about the potential impact if the Iranian leadership changes.
"If this regime does weaken, or even possibly gets overthrown, I think that would be the end of Hezbollah, the end of Hamas, and very possibly the end of the Houthis, because the entire network of terrorist proxies that Iran has built will collapse."
When asked if it was possible to overthrow the Iranian regime, Netanyahu said: "Possible? Yes. Guaranteed? No." (Compiler: Chu Hsiang-Ping) 1150511
Stand with facts, every sponsorship you provide is a force to protect press freedom.
Download CNA's "First-hand News" APP to stay updated with the latest news.
The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.