Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a press conference in Jerusalem, Thursday, March 19, 2026. (Ronen Zvulun, Pool Photo via AP)Emerging at a late-night press briefing from Jerusalem, as the Israel-Iran war entered its 20th day, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, “I am alive, and you all are witness,” dismissing rumours suggesting his death. “Now that I have dispatched this piece of fake news, I want to give you an update on Operation Roaring Lion,” he added.We look at key takeaways from his statements, and what does it say about where the war is headed:Owning up unilateral South Pars attackWeeks after the joint United States–Israel offensive against Iran triggered tensions across the Gulf, differences emerged between President Donald Trump and PM Netanyahu for the first time on Thursday over Israel’s decision to strike a key Iranian gas field.Israel’s attack on the South Pars gas field triggered retaliatory Iranian strikes on energy infrastructure across the Middle East, pushing already high global energy prices even higher and prompting Gulf allies to urge Trump to rein in Netanyahu. However, President Trump said the US “knew nothing” about its ally, which had “violently lashed out” at Iran “out of anger for what has taken place in the Middle East”.Must Read | Joe Kent’s resignation: Why top Trump official blamed Israel for Iraq, Syria warsOn Thursday, Netanyahu set the record straight by saying that Israel had independently carried out the strike, adding that while Israel acted alone, US President Donald Trump later urged restraint, and Israel is currently holding off on further attacks in the area.Hinting at navigation relief and an end in sightWith rising concerns over global trade disruption in the wake of the disruption of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, the Israeli PM dismissed Iran’s threats to close the Strait. While accusing Iran of attempting to pressure the international community through economic and energy leverage, he — in fact — said that such a move would fail since Tehran’s capabilities have weakened. With Netanyahu also stating that Israel was helping reopen the key Strait of Hormuz passageway, and that the war may end sooner than people think, oil prices saw correction and relief.This followed a volatile day when the oil prices surged dramatically on the back of an Israeli attack on the South Pars gas field and an Iranian attack on energy infrastructure across the region. However, market sentiment shifted as Netanyahu said that joint US-Israel strikes had significantly degraded Iran’s strategic capabilities and that the war would “end faster than people think”.Reinforcing Israel-US alignmentStory continues below this adDuring the briefing, Netanyahu emphasised a strong alignment with the US President, describing their cooperation as ‘exceptionally close’. He said both countries are working together with “great determination,” underscoring shared strategic goals and synchronised actions in addressing the situation.“It’s been said that for 40 years I’ve been saying that Iran is a danger to Israel and a danger to the world. That is true,” Netanyahu said in Jerusalem. “You know who else said that? President Trump.” He added: “Look, I don’t think any two leaders have been as coordinated as President Trump and I. He’s the leader. I’m his ally. America is the leader.”While speaking about an end in sight to the conflict, Netanyahu outlined Israel’s core objectives: eliminating Iran’s nuclear threat, dismantling its ballistic missile capabilities, and creating conditions that could enable political change within Iran — framing this as a security necessity as well as a move towards regional stability. Trump, meanwhile, has consistently maintained that his primary objective is to ensure Iran “never has a nuclear weapon”.Divya A reports on travel, tourism, culture and social issues - not necessarily in that order - for The Indian Express. She's been a journalist for over a decade now, working with Khaleej Times and The Times of India, before settling down at Express. Besides writing/ editing news reports, she indulges her pen to write short stories. As Sanskriti Prabha Dutt Fellow for Excellence in Journalism, she is researching on the lives of the children of sex workers in India. ... Read More © The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:Explained GlobalExpress Explained