Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made strong remarks suggesting Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, could become a military target, as hostilities between the two countries continue to deepen.
In an interview with ABC News on Monday, Netanyahu maintained his stance on Israel’s approach to the conflict, saying a direct hit on Iran’s top leadership might mark a turning point in the war.
“Look, we’re doing what we need to do,” Netanyahu said when pressed about the possibility of assassinating Khamenei.
“I’m not going to get into the details, but we’ve targeted their top nuclear scientists. It’s basically Hitler’s nuclear team.”
He dismissed suggestions that such a move could worsen the crisis.
“It’s not going to escalate the conflict, it’s going to end the conflict,” he insisted.
Netanyahu also questioned the sincerity of Iran’s diplomatic gestures, particularly its claim of being open to fresh nuclear negotiations.
“They want to continue to have these fake talks in which they lie, they cheat, they string the US along,” he said.
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“And, you know, we have very solid intel on that.”
Addressing Americans directly, the Israeli leader tied the Iranian threat to global security, especially for Western allies.
“We’re not just fighting our enemy. We’re fighting your enemy. For God’s sake, they chant, ‘Death to Israel, death to America.’ We’re simply on their way. And this could reach America soon.”
He stressed that the threat isn’t confined to Israel alone: “It’s a threat to Israel, to our Arab neighbors, to Europe, to America. They chant ‘Death to America.’ And we’re being told, ‘This is not your business’? This is not myopia. This is utter blindness.”
His comments followed a wave of Israeli airstrikes inside Iran, including a hit on Iran’s national broadcasting headquarters in Tehran.
The intensifying conflict has resulted in heavy casualties on both sides and sparked global fears of a wider regional war.