Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has issued a stark warning to Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, saying Tel Aviv “doesn’t wait” and noted that it would not even “issue life insurance.”
Netanyahu’s statement came after US President Donald Trump warned Mojtaba Khamenei that the US was open to eliminating the Iranian leader if he refused to comply with US demands, including halting Tehran’s nuclear program, The Wall Street Journal reported.
What did Netanyahu say?
“I wouldn’t write life insurance on any of the leaders of terrorist organizations. This is their patron saint of terrorism. And I’m not going to give an accurate report here on what we plan or what we’re going to do,” ANI quoted Netanyahu as saying.
Netanyahu described the younger Khamenei as a “puppet” of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and claimed he was unable to speak publicly.
In a strongly worded statement, Netanyahu suggested that recent developments had changed the strategic dynamics involving Israel, Iran and the wider Middle East. He also alluded to the possibility of further action against organizations that Israel considers terrorist groups.
“Even now we can say with certainty: This is no longer the same Iran. This is no longer the same Middle East. And this is also not the same Israel. We do not wait, we initiate, we attack. And we do it with a force that no one has seen before,” Netanyahu said.
Referring to the political situation in Iran, he argued that Israeli operations were intended to help create the conditions that could encourage internal change, while noting that any such transformation would ultimately depend on the Iranian people.
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He went on to say that he had added another goal, which was to foster the circumstances that would allow Iranians to challenge what he described as a repressive regime, but stressed that this did not guarantee such an outcome. Netanyahu reiterated that the decision and responsibility for any potential political shift lies with the citizens of Iran.
The Israeli leader admitted that Israeli military action could weaken Iran’s ruling establishment, but stressed that the regime’s future would be determined by the country’s public actions.
“You can bring someone to water, but you can’t make them drink,” Netanyahu said, hinting at the potential for a popular revolt against the Islamic Republic regime.
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The statement comes amid escalating tensions between Israel and Iran, with both sides accusing each other of fomenting instability in the Middle East.
Israel has often alleged that Iran provides support to militant organizations operating in various parts of the region, including Lebanon, Syria and Gaza.
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However, Tehran rejected the allegations and condemned Israeli military operations in the region.
Israel has carried out several strikes targeting Iranian military installations and allied armed factions in neighboring countries. Israeli authorities say such measures are necessary to limit Iran’s growing military footprint and influence near Israel’s borders.
