Netanyahu Says He Has Ordered the IDF and Mossad to Pursue the Overthrow of Iran's Regime
Speaking at an officer graduation, the Israeli prime minister called toppling the regime the only way to end the nuclear threat. Defense Minister Katz warned Tehran against attacks before the Oct. 27 Knesset election.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he has told Israel's military and spy services to work toward ending the Iranian regime. The New York Post reports he made the statement Wednesday at an IDF officer course graduation.
The directive. "There is only one way to remove this threat once and for all: overthrow the regime in Iran. And that is my directive to the IDF, the Mossad and the security branches," Netanyahu said. He called it the only way to eliminate Iran's nuclear threat and told the graduates it was "now also your mission."
His account of the war. Netanyahu said Iran restarted its nuclear program after Operation Rising Lion and tried to bury it deep under a mountain, which led to the joint Israeli-U.S. Operation Roaring Lion. He said its opening strike killed Ali Khamenei. He accused his successor, Mojtaba Khamenei, of following in his father's footsteps, saying he "has pulled the safety pin." He said President Trump also supports toppling the regime but would do it only alongside Israel, quoting Trump as saying, "We are ready to finish the job." That quote is Netanyahu's account of Trump's words, and the Post does not show Trump saying it.
Katz's warning. Defense Minister Israel Katz said "Iran will burn" if it attacks Israel. He said Tehran and its proxies are seeking attacks meant to affect the Oct. 27 Knesset elections, and that anyone who attacks Israel "before the elections or after them will pay the heaviest price." He called the regime "at its weakest point ever."
Trump's remarks. Trump said Wednesday that stopping Iran from having a nuclear weapon was "one of the greatest things that we've done." On talks, he told a NewsNation reporter, "We are not negotiating with" Iran, then said "we're gonna have something one way or the other. It'll happen fairly soon," adding that most people seem to think it will come after the election. The Post notes he gave conflicting accounts of talks with Tehran.
Note for readers: all statements are as reported by the New York Post, which cites Netanyahu's office and the White House Rapid Response account.