Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has argued that Iran poses a different level of threat from North Korea, citing what he described as Tehran’s repeated statements about destroying Israel and expanding its regional influence.
Speaking in a video posted by Piers Morgan on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, Bennett defended the ongoing military campaign against Iran, saying the country’s declared ambitions distinguish it from other authoritarian states with nuclear or near-nuclear capabilities.
Responding to criticism that Iran is being singled out while other hostile regimes exist, Bennett said North Korea has not publicly advocated the destruction of another country.
“North Korea never talked about annihilating another country. Iran says it wants to annihilate another country,” Bennett said.
“It says it wants to control the Middle East. It says it wants to dominate the world with the export of its Islamic terror ideology. If you don’t stop it when it’s small, you’re going to face it when it’s too late.”
Bennett said Iran’s leadership has repeatedly expressed ambitions to destroy Israel and expand its influence across the Middle East through allied groups, including Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis.
According to the former Israeli prime minister, this rhetoric, combined with Iran’s pursuit of nuclear capabilities, makes the country a greater security concern than regimes that have not made similar threats.
Bennett acknowledged that the military campaign against Iran has been costly and has progressed more slowly than anticipated. However, he argued that the country’s stated objectives justify continued military pressure.
He maintained that confronting Iran now, while its capabilities remain limited, is preferable to waiting until it acquires the means to carry out what he described as its declared ambitions.
