In the wake of Iran’s missile attack that damaged Be’er Sheva, Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz declared that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, “can no longer be allowed to exist.” Speaking to journalists in Holon near Tel Aviv, Katz accused Khamenei of ordering attacks on hospitals and openly seeking Israel’s destruction.
“Such a man can no longer be allowed to exist,” Katz said, according to local media and AFP. This marks a significant escalation in Israel’s stated war goals, which have increasingly hinted at regime change in Iran since its assault on Iranian targets began last week.
Iranian state media countered that the missile strike targeted a military site adjacent to Soroka Hospital, not the hospital itself.
The attack, part of a broader wave of strikes, injured 89 people across Israel, with three in serious condition and two in moderate condition, according to Israel’s emergency service, Magen David Adom. Many injuries resulted from blast and shrapnel damage, particularly around Tel Aviv and southern Israel.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in an English-language video addressing Iranians, suggested that Israel’s military actions could “clear the path” for their freedom.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump, while dismissing claims by National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard that Iran is not pursuing nuclear weapons, stated on social media that the US is not planning to “take out” Khamenei “at least not for now,” but warned that “our patience is wearing thin.”
US diplomat David Satterfield, speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, highlighted internal debates in Washington over a potential strike on Iran’s Fordo nuclear facility.
He noted that disagreements centre not on the strike’s impact but on whether it would decisively halt Iran’s nuclear program, which Tehran denies pursuing.
Satterfield emphasised the distinction between US support for Israel and direct American military action on Iranian soil.
The conflict risks drawing in global powers, with Russia and the US backing opposing sides.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned that U.S. intervention could trigger “another terrible spiral of escalation,” according to TASS.
Russia, a key ally of Iran, has deepened ties through a strategic partnership treaty signed by Presidents Vladimir Putin and Masoud Pezeshkian, which includes defence cooperation.
Iran’s supply of Shahed drones to Russia for its war in Ukraine further cements this alliance.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry condemned Israel’s strikes as “cynical” and “unprovoked,” while Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov cautioned the US against military aid to Israel, warning of regional destabilization.
The escalating rhetoric and military actions have heightened fears of a broader conflict, with potential ramifications for US-Russia relations, which had shown signs of improvement since Trump’s re-election.
