Netanyahu Orders Military to Target Iran's Regime, Cites Nuclear Ambitions; Katz Threatens Retaliation

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Wednesday that he has directed the Israeli military and Mossad to work towards the "overthrow of the Iranian regime," alleging that Tehran is attempting to develop nuclear weapons again. The announcement came during a ceremony for the graduation of the 76th class of combat officers in the Israeli army, just six days before the Knesset elections. Netanyahu claimed that Iran's current leadership is following in the footsteps of its predecessors and is seeking to develop "death bombs," referring to nuclear weapons. He stated that the only way to eliminate this threat is to topple the Iranian regime, and these are his directives to the security forces. However, Netanyahu did not present evidence to support his claims about Iran's nuclear program or detail the specific actions ordered. He also suggested that "many of our neighbors" wish for Israel's victory in Lebanon, Gaza, and Iran, without naming them. An Israeli security source, speaking anonymously, expressed uncertainty about any imminent Iranian breakthrough in its nuclear program and concern about miscalculations due to recent rhetoric.

Defense Minister Israel Katz echoed the sentiment, threatening that "Iran will burn" if it attacks Israel. He also claimed that Israel has monitored recent attempts by Iran and its allies to carry out attacks aimed at influencing the Israeli elections. Katz asserted that Iran's perceived weakness might drive it to extreme actions, including attacking Israel. He warned that any entity attacking Israel or its citizens, before or after the elections, would pay the "harshest price." Katz also threatened to expand Israel's "security zone" in southern Lebanon to include additional territory up to the Litani River if Hezbollah joins an Iranian attack, potentially displacing over a million Shiites. He also threatened to target Hezbollah's military infrastructure in Beirut's southern suburbs and directly addressed Hezbollah's acting Secretary-General Naeem Qassem, accusing him of leading the Shiite community toward destruction, similar to his predecessor Hassan Nasrallah, and threatening assassination.

Regarding Gaza, Katz claimed that the Israeli military controls approximately 70% of the Gaza Strip in a security zone he described as devoid of civilians and military infrastructure, aimed at protecting Israeli towns. He mentioned ongoing daily operations against Palestinians accused of attacking Israeli forces or participating in the October 7th attack, alleging the killing of 4,000 such individuals and vowing to kill another 2,000.

Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir affirmed the Israeli military's commitment to continuing operations on multiple fronts to prevent Israel's adversaries from rebuilding their military capabilities. He emphasized the army's high level of readiness to counter any attack attempts. Zamir highlighted a recent operation that allegedly killed a Hamas elite unit member involved in the October 7th attack, stating it was part of an ongoing effort to pursue all participants. He also stressed the importance of maintaining the army's unity and cohesion, stating that its strength lies not only in combat capabilities but also in its operational methods and adherence to state institutions.