Tel Aviv, Israel – In a dramatic development reflecting the contours of the next phase of the regional conflict, Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz announced Wednesday that he had issued direct orders to the Israeli military to place Iran’s “next Supreme Leader” on its assassination list. He emphasized that the policy of targeted killings would extend to anyone elected to this position by the current regime.
Explicit targeting instructions
In remarks that sparked widespread controversy, Katz emphasized that Israel would not allow the Iranian regime to continue its current course. The Defense Minister stated,
“Any commander appointed by the Iranian regime to continue leading its program to destroy Israel, threaten the United States, the free world,
and the countries of the region, and oppress the Iranian people, will be a clear target for elimination.”
Katz did not stop there. He also issued a defiant message via Twitter, asserting that Israeli pursuit would recognize no borders or hiding places. He declared, “It doesn’t matter who he is or where he hides.”
Operation “Lion’s Roar”: Israeli-American coordination
These statements come in the context of ongoing military operations dubbed “Operation Lion’s Roar” by Israel. Katz revealed a high level of coordination between the political and military leadership to achieve these objectives.
He indicated that he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had instructed the army to prepare and act by all available means.
Katz clarified that the ultimate goal extends beyond military strikes to bringing about fundamental change within Iran.
He stated, “We will continue to work with full force, hand in hand with our American partners,
to dismantle the regime’s capabilities and create the conditions for the Iranian people to overthrow and replace it.”
Political earthquake in Tehran
This announcement comes after the assassination of Iran’s former Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei,
at the start of the full-scale war waged by the United States and Israel against Iran. This has left a significant power vacuum in Tehran.
In Washington, US President Donald Trump reinforced this sentiment with sharp statements, asserting that “the worst thing that could happen in Iran is to elect a Supreme Leader as bad as Khamenei,”
a clear indication of Washington’s rejection of the regime’s attempts to perpetuate itself.
Targeting decision-making centers
On the ground, US and Israeli forces did not limit themselves to verbal threats;
they launched targeted strikes against a building belonging to the Assembly of Experts,
the constitutional body responsible for electing the new Supreme Leader.
According to observers, these strikes aim to cripple the regime’s ability to manage the transfer of power.
They also aim to prevent the appointment of a figure who would adhere to the same policies as the previous one.
Scene analysis
Military experts believe that Katz’s announcement represents a shift from a strategy of “clipping Iran’s wings”
(by targeting proxies) to one of “cutting off the head of the snake” directly and continuously.
Targeting the position of “Supreme Leader” itself, and not just the individual who occupies it,
means that Israel and its allies have decided to end the legitimacy of the theocratic regime in Iran militarily and politically.
