Netanyahu: Israel’s strikes in Iran ‘will only intensify’

Israel’s strikes in Iran “will only intensify further in the coming days,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday in a video message he gave on the roof of the Kirya military headquarters in Tel Aviv.

“We eliminated the tyrant Khamenei,” Netanyahu said about the top spiritual leader of the Islamic regime, Ali Khamenei, who was killed on Saturday with other top officials in a precision strike.

“Our forces are now striking in the heart of Tehran with increasing intensity, which will intensify even further in the coming days,” Netanyahu said.

Khamenei’s elimination came in the early hours of Operations Roaring Lion and Epic Fury, the codenames that Israel and the U.S. gave, respectively, to their joint military intervention to eliminate some of the Iranian regime’s ability to threaten both countries, and to help the Iranian opposition overthrow the regime.

“I have just concluded a meeting with the defense minister, the IDF chief of staff and the head of the Mossad. I gave instructions for the continuation of the campaign,” Netanyahu said, calling the leadership in Tehran a “regime of oppression.”

Israeli forces are “now striking in the heart of Tehran with increasing intensity,” he added, saying: “However, these are painful days. ... we lost precious people.”

At least nine people were killed in Beit Shemesh and one was slain in Tel Aviv from Iranian projectiles, of which the Islamic Republic has launched hundreds into Israel. “My heart goes out to the families, and on behalf of all of you, the citizens of Israel, I send wishes for a full recovery to the wounded,” Netanyahu said.

“We are in a campaign in which we are bringing the full power of the IDF, as never before, to this battle in order to ensure our existence and our future,” the prime minister added. “But we are also bringing to this campaign the assistance of the United States—my friend, U.S. President Donald Trump, and the U.S. military,” he said.

“This combination of forces enables us to do what I have longed to do for 40 years—to strike the terror regime decisively. That is what I promised—and that is what we will do,” Netanyahu concluded.