Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, 76, disclosed that he quietly underwent treatment for prostate cancer after publicizing the results of his annual medical examination on Friday, saying he is “in excellent physical condition.”
The longest-serving leader in Israel’s history underwent surgery for an enlarged prostate in December 2024. The operation was publicly disclosed by the prime minister’s office at the time, with the latest check-up signaling that the discovered malignant tumor in his prostate was less than a centimeter in size.
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“This is an early detection of a very small lesion, with no metastases, as all other tests confirmed beyond any doubt,” a disclosed medical professional’s letter read.
Netanyahu says he made the decision to undergo targeted radiation therapy and “the spot disappeared completely.”
“Thank God, I am healthy,” Netanyahu said in a post on X. “I had a minor medical issue with my prostate that was completely treated.”
Netanyahu explained that he chose to delay the release of his annual medical report by two months, which revealed he had been diagnosed with cancer for the first time, so that Tehran wouldn’t use the diagnosis as propaganda amid the Iran war.
Netanyahu also said he chose to undergo treatment because “when I’m given information in time about a potential danger, I want to address it immediately”.
“This is true on the national level and also on the personal level,” he added.
While the timeline of the prime minister’s latest check-up was not disclosed, CNN was told that the cancer was diagnosed several months ago. Netanyahu began undergoing radiation therapy about two and a half months ago, according to the source, and had recently completed the treatment.
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President Donald Trump’s most recent annual health report from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, which was released in April 2025, said that he is in “excellent health.” When Trump’s cognitive health was called into question earlier this year, the White House pointed to the report’s disclosure of a 30 out of 30 on a Montreal Cognitive Assessment exam.
Netanyahu is scheduled to visit the White House in the coming weeks as the United States seeks to broker a long-lasting peace deal in its war with Iran. Israel’s ceasefire agreement with Lebanon, following fighting between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah, has also been extended by three weeks.
