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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared on Thursday that the ongoing US-Israeli campaign against Iran was “crushing” Iran and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah, urging Iranians to rise up and overthrow the Islamic Republic.
Speaking shortly after Iran’s new ruler, Mojtaba Khamenei, vowed to avenge Iranians killed in the conflict, Netanyahu outlined a third objective for Israel’s campaign: creating conditions for the Iranian people to remove the clerical leadership in Tehran.
“We are crushing Iran and Hezbollah,” he said during a televised briefing, adding that the original goals of preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons and dismantling its ballistic missile capabilities remain.
Netanyahu also warned the Lebanese government to rein in Hezbollah, which has been conducting missile strikes on Israel in coordination with Iran.
“You are playing with fire if you continue allowing Hezbollah to operate, in violation of your commitment to disarm it,” he said.
“The time has come for you to do so. Now, if you do not, it is clear that we will do so.”
Hezbollah claimed responsibility for several attacks on Israeli targets on Thursday, including a strike on an air defence system near Caesarea, where Netanyahu’s private residence is located.
Israel has threatened to target Lebanese government infrastructure if the attacks continue.
Netanyahu also addressed Iran’s new leadership directly: “We eliminated the old tyrant, and the new tyrant, the puppet of the Revolutionary Guards, can’t show his face in public,” referring to Khamenei.
