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JERUSALEM — Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has issued a chilling warning to the United States, predicting that if Iran obtains nuclear weapons, radical Islamist terror groups will have the capacity to strike the American homeland with ballistic missiles — not just passenger jets.
In an interview, Bennett drew a direct line from the September 11, 2001, attacks to the current nuclear threat posed by Iran, arguing that the same mindset that allowed 9/11 to happen is now playing out as the international community debates whether to take preemptive action against Tehran’s nuclear program.
“I was in Manhattan when 9/11 happened. I saw those buildings on fire. That’s what happens when you say, ‘The Middle East isn’t our problem — we don’t care.’ The radical Islamists will come to the Big Satan — to Manhattan, to California, to America — but with nuclear ballistic missiles.” — Naftali Bennett, Former Prime Minister of Israel
💣 ‘Big Satan’ is D.C., Not Israel
Bennett’s use of the term “Big Satan” is a direct quote from Iranian hardliners, who for years have referred to the United States as the “Great Satan.” He is warning that a nuclear-armed Iran would not just threaten Israel (the “Little Satan,” in Iranian rhetoric) but would eventually target the U.S. mainland.
The former prime minister’s timeline is ambiguous: he does not predict an imminent strike, but warns that if Iran is permitted to acquire nuclear weapons, the day will come when a radical regime in Tehran transfers a bomb to a proxy (Hezbollah) or launches a missile directly from Iranian territory at an American city.
🤔 Why Now? Election Politics
Bennett is campaigning for prime minister in the upcoming Knesset elections scheduled for October 27, 2026, as co-leader of the “Together” (Yachad) alliance with Yair Lapid. The direct appeal to American audiences — warning of a nuclear attack on New York or California — is intended to shape the U.S. foreign policy debate ahead of the November 2026 midterms.
While the speech was delivered to an Israeli audience, its content was clearly meant for Americans. Bennett is trying to rally support for Israel in the U.S. Congress, ensuring that the next administration (whether Trump or a Democrat) does not rejoin a flawed nuclear deal with Iran.
“I saw those buildings on fire” is a stark, visceral memory designed to jolt Americans out of complacency. By evoking 9/11, Bennett is arguing that the price of inaction is even higher now — not a few thousand dead, but potentially millions, should a nuclear device detonate in an American city.
🧠 Political Counterarguments: From Deterrence to Diplomacy
Critics would argue that deterrence works: the Soviet Union had thousands of nuclear weapons during the Cold War and never used them. Moreover, Iran is a rational state actor, not a suicide cult; the regime values its own survival and would not risk a devastating retaliation.
They might also note that Bennett’s “nuclear ballistic missiles to Manhattan” scenario is far-fetched, as Iran does not currently possess an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of reaching the U.S. East Coast. Its most advanced missiles can reach Israel and parts of Europe, but not North America — yet.
And if the U.S. conducted a preemptive strike to prevent Iran from obtaining such a missile, wouldn’t that prove Iran’s argument that it needs nuclear weapons for self-defense? That is the dilemma Bennett does not address.
Nonetheless, the former prime minister’s stark language reflects the genuine fear in Jerusalem of a future in which a nuclear-armed Iran feels emboldened to attack America — and the West must decide whether to believe him.
Follow Reflecto News for continuous updates on the 2026 Knesset elections, Bennett’s campaign, and all breaking news from Israel and the Middle East.
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