By: Carl Schwartzbaum

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Saturday evening that he will seek re-election in the 2026 legislative elections, declaring with trademark confidence that he will “win.” The announcement, which immediately reverberated through Israel’s political landscape, came during a wide-ranging interview on Channel 14’s The Patriots, in which Netanyahu reflected on the Gaza war, tensions with Washington, and his vision for Israel’s future.

According to a report on i24 News, the Prime Minister’s declaration was met with raucous applause and chants of “Bibi, King of Israel” from supporters gathered in the studio audience. Netanyahu, whose tenure has made him Israel’s longest-serving premier, described the current phase of the Gaza campaign as “the war of rebirth,” portraying it as a defining struggle for Israel’s security and sovereignty.

“This war has strengthened Israel,” he told i24 News, crediting what he called “the courage of our soldiers and the wounded” for recent battlefield gains. The Prime Minister insisted that Israel’s persistence against Hamas would “restore deterrence for generations,” adding that the government’s strategic decisions—though difficult—had proven “just and necessary.”

Throughout the interview, Netanyahu drew connections between his current policies and those pursued during his close collaboration with President Trump, praising what he called “years of mutual understanding and courage in the face of international pressure.” He said that partnership was instrumental in shaping Israel’s defense posture and regional diplomacy.

Turning to the military and diplomatic front, i24 News reported that Netanyahu reaffirmed Israel’s objective of continuing operations in Gaza “until all hostages are freed and Hamas is disarmed.” The Prime Minister ruled out any political settlement that would leave the terror group intact, declaring that Israel “will not accept a ceasefire that rewards murderers.”

Addressing escalating tensions on Israel’s northern border, Netanyahu also defended the strike that killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, a move he called “a decisive moment to break the axis of evil.” According to i24 News, the Prime Minister acknowledged that several senior advisers had cautioned against the operation for fear of provoking direct Iranian retaliation, but he insisted that the decision “eliminated a strategic threat and restored deterrence.”

The Prime Minister also confronted mounting strains in relations with Washington, confirming that the Biden administration had, at one point, temporarily delayed weapons shipments to Israel. “I told [U.S. Secretary of State Antony] Blinken: if we run out of ammunition, we’ll fight with our bare hands,” Netanyahu said, according to i24 News, framing the episode as proof of Israel’s resolve to defend itself under any circumstance.

Responding to reports that President Trump had intervened in negotiations for the release of Israeli hostages, Netanyahu dismissed the claim, saying that “we worked together on a formula beneficial for Israel” but that the final decision remained his.

Concluding the interview on a deeply personal note, Netanyahu told i24 News that he draws strength from both public support and from his wife, Sara Netanyahu, whom he affectionately called “my lioness, an inexhaustible source of courage.”

As i24 News observed, Netanyahu’s declaration effectively launches Israel’s next election cycle two years early, signaling his intent to consolidate power even as his government grapples with war, diplomatic friction, and an uncertain path toward Gaza’s postwar future.