Netanyahu Openly Declares Intention to Overthrow Mojtaba Khamenei's Regime

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made his first public appearance since the conflict between the United States and Israel versus Iran escalated, unveiling ambitions to topple Iran’s current government under Mojtaba Khamenei.

In a televised address on Thursday local time, Netanyahu stated that joint military operations were exerting significant pressure on Iran and Lebanon’s armed group, Hezbollah.

“We are destroying Iran and Hezbollah,” Netanyahu declared.

The statement came shortly after Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, issued his first public message. In his statement, Mojtaba pledged to retaliate for Iranian citizens killed in the ongoing conflict.

Netanyahu indicated that his government had added a new objective to the conflict: creating conditions enabling the Iranian people to overthrow the clerical government in Tehran. He also directed comments specifically at Mojtaba Khamenei.

“I am adding a third objective, which is to create conditions for the Iranian people to topple this regime,” he said.

“We have removed the old tyrant, and the new tyrant, a puppet of the Revolutionary Guards, does not even dare show his face in public,” he added.

Netanyahu reaffirmed that two other primary objectives remained unchanged: preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons and destroying the country’s ballistic missile capabilities.

During the same address, Netanyahu also urged the Lebanese government to take decisive action against Hezbollah, which he alleged had launched missile attacks on Israeli territory. He warned that Israel was prepared to act if Beirut failed to do so.

“I said to the Lebanese government a few days ago that you are playing with fire if you continue allowing Hezbollah to operate in violation of your commitment to disarm them,” Netanyahu said.

“It is time for you to do it. If not, then clearly we will do it,” he concluded.