Top Iranian nuclear scientists killed in Israeli strike: Benjamin Netanyahu
What's the story
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed that several top Iranian nuclear scientists were killed in their recent airstrikes. He said Israel dealt a mortal blow to senior Iranian scientists, who he claimed "led the development of the nuclear bombs intended to destroy us." "They are no longer. And by the way, we hit a few more just now," he said.
Leadership criticism
Netanyahu slams Iran's new supreme leader
Netanyahu also slammed Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran's newly appointed supreme leader. He called him a "puppet of the Revolutionary Guards" and claimed that he cannot be seen in public. This comes after Iranian state television aired a statement purportedly from Khamenei on Thursday. However, Khamenei has not been publicly visible since taking office, with reports suggesting he was injured at the war's onset.
Oil market impact
Supreme Leader in coma, claims report
A report has claimed that Mojtaba is in a coma after being critically injured in an airstrike. Sources told The Sun that he lost at least one leg and suffered serious stomach or liver damage. It is unclear if he was injured on the same day his 86-year-old father was killed in a joint US-Israeli airstrike on February 28. Per The Sun, Mojtaba is currently being treated at the Sina University Hospital in Tehran.
Public address
Israel stands with Iranian people, says Netanyahu
In his briefing, Netanyahu also addressed the Iranian public directly. He hinted that a "new path of freedom" was near for Iran and said Israel stands with them. However, he stressed that it is ultimately up to them to decide their future. "But at the end of the day, it depends on you. It is in your hands," he said.