This story first appeared as today鈥檚 Israel briefing newsletter. You can sign up to receive it daily here. US President Donald Trump said the US鈥慖sraeli strikes on Iran 鈥渙bliterated鈥 its nuclear program, marking a decisive end to the conflict. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to use an example of Hiroshima, I don鈥檛 want to use an example of Nagasaki, but that was essentially the same thing,” he said. “That ended that war. This ended the war.” Other US officials highlighted the scale of destruction inside Iran. US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth said Fordo was 鈥渂uried under a mountain, devastated and obliterated.鈥 He warned 鈥測ou鈥檇 better get a big shovel, and go really deep,鈥 noting only those who executed the strikes know the full extent. He affirmed those who 鈥渄ropped the bombs precisely in the right place know exactly what happened鈥. The CIA said major Iranian nuclear sites were 鈥渄estroyed鈥 and warned it could take years to rebuild. Mossad chief David Barnea called the strikes a 鈥渉istoric鈥 success and said the Iranian nuclear threat had been 鈥渟ignificantly neutralised鈥. Both agencies indicated Tehran鈥檚 atomic ambitions had suffered long-term damage, degrading enrichment capabilities and leadership infrastructure. Channel 12 reported a new Institute for Science and International Security analysis confirming major site damage. Satellite data showed enrichment facilities at Natanz were destroyed and power systems knocked out. Fordo was struck with bunker-busting bombs, causing 鈥渟evere or total destruction鈥. Analyst David Albright said Iran would need years to regain its pre-war capabilities. Iran鈥檚 Foreign Ministry confirmed that its nuclear sites were 鈥渂adly damaged鈥. The IAEA found extensive structural destruction at Fordo and Natanz, declared conditions unsafe, and noted that uranium enrichment had halted. Inspectors acknowledged 鈥渟pecial measures鈥 were taken to protect material but could not verify whether enriched stockpiles had been relocated before the attacks. Israeli commandos operated covertly inside Iran during the war, IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir has revealed. He said this capability 鈥済ranted us operational freedom鈥 and enabled attacks on missile systems and air defenses. Zamir noted the stealth missions contributed significantly to the strikes鈥 operational success and delivered vital intelligence on nuclear and military targets. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared Iran鈥檚 nuclear infrastructure 鈥済one to oblivion.鈥 He named Natanz, Isfahan, Arak, and the nuclear archive among the facilities hit. He warned that Israel would strike again if Iran attempted to rebuild. Netanyahu called the mission an example of Israel鈥檚 resolve to prevent a future nuclear threat. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian hailed the ongoing ceasefire as a 鈥済reat victory鈥 and announced a national day of mourning. In a public address, he pledged to uphold the ceasefire terms and maintain national dignity. The regime鈥檚 coordinated messaging suggested an effort to frame the outcome as both a survival of sovereignty and a patriotic resistance. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas sent a letter to Trump thanking him for his 鈥渟uccessful efforts in reaching a ceasefire between Israel and Iran鈥. Abbas described the halt in hostilities as 鈥渁 necessary and important step to defuse the crises plaguing the world鈥 and reaffirmed his support for a 鈥渞ecognized, free, sovereign, and secure Palestine鈥. Elsewhere, Trump demanded the immediate cancellation of Prime Minister Netanyahu鈥檚 criminal trial. Calling it a 鈥渞idiculous Witch Hunt,鈥 he criticised charges over 鈥渃igars, a Bugs Bunny doll, and numerous other unfair charges鈥. His statement was the most direct US interference in an Israeli legal proceeding by a sitting or former president in the nation鈥檚 history. Opposition leader Yair Lapid rejected Trump鈥檚 statement and called for legal independence. 鈥淲e are grateful to President Trump,鈥 Lapid told Ynet, 鈥渂ut the president should not interfere in a legal process in an independent country鈥. His comment echoed MK Simcha Rothman and emphasized the separation between diplomacy and domestic justice. Polling suggests that Netanyahu鈥檚 political position strengthening following the Iran offensive. A Walla survey reported Likud had risen to 26 seats, overtaking Naftali Bennett鈥檚 faction. Netanyahu had trailed for months but is now leading, with analysts attributing the rise to perceived wartime leadership and national security success. The same Walla poll reported 67 percent of Israelis now support a Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal. Support among opposition voters reached 90 percent. Most coalition voters remain opposed. Trump said 鈥減rogress was being made鈥 in the negotiations, though both Israeli and Hamas officials publicly denied any breakthrough had occurred. The Palestinian Authority Health Ministry is claiming that three Palestinians were shot dead and seven more were injured on Wednesday during a settler rampage in the West Bank village of Kafr Malik near Ramallah. According to the Israeli human rights group Yesh Din, over 100 settlers took part in the attack, which unfolded in the presence of Israeli soldiers. Qatar鈥檚 prime minister said indirect Israel-Hamas ceasefire-hostage talks are expected to resume within two days. Hamas spokesperson Taher al-Nunu said: 鈥淭here is no substantive update we can report. Netanyahu insists on continuing the war.鈥 Hamas reiterated four conditions: permanent ceasefire, Israeli withdrawal, reconstruction access, and prisoner release. You can sign up to the JC鈥檚 Israel briefing here.