'He cannot exist': Israel issues another death threat to Khamenei
What's the story
Israel's Defense Minister, Israel Katz, has issued a direct threat against Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, saying he "can no longer be allowed to exist." The warning comes after Iranian missiles hit several locations across Israel, including the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange and Soroka Hospital in Beersheba. Israel's emergency service said at least 89 people have been injured across the country.
Iran
These are war crimes of the most serious kind: Israel
Holding Khamenei accountable for the strikes, the minister said, "The cowardly Iranian dictator sits in the depths of a fortified bunker and fires missiles at hospitals and residential buildings in Israel." "These are war crimes of the most serious kind - and Khamenei will be held accountable for his crimes," Katz said in a post on X.
Escalating conflict
Israel intensifies attacks on strategic and government targets in Iran
Katz also said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and he have instructed the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to intensify attacks on strategic and government targets in Iran. Iran has claimed that the missile attack's main target was an Israeli military and intelligence base, not the hospital. The Iranian state news agency IRNA said the "direct and precise target" was the Army Command and Intelligence Base in Gav-Yam Technology Park.
Counterclaim
Israel fired two projectiles
The attack occurred after Israel targeted Iran's Arak heavy water reactor, Iranian state media reported on Thursday. The report, however, said there was "no radiation danger whatsoever." Iran had already evacuated the Arak facility before the attack, and there was "no radiation danger," the state TV said. According to Iranian state media, Israel launched an attack on the Arak heavy water reactor, located around 155 miles southwest of Tehran, around 6:00am local time. Two projectiles were fired at the reactor.
Cautious approach
Trump takes credit for not assassinating Khamenei
Last week, reports surfaced that Israel had planned to kill the supreme leader, but the decision was kept on hold after US President Donald Trump rejected the plan. Trump reportedly told Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu that assassinating Khamenei was "not a good idea." This week, when Iran refused to surrender, Trump warned Iran, "We know exactly where the so-called 'Supreme Leader' is hiding....but...We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now."