“‘Operation Roaring Lion’ is designed to remove the ayatollah regime that has terrorized America, Israel, and the people of Iran for 47 years,” an Israeli official familiar with the matter told JNS.
Israel and the United States opened their joint attack against the Islamic Republic on the morning of Feb. 28. More than 40 senior Iranian leaders have been eliminated, including the former supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Iran has lashed out in response, launching missiles at Israel, the Arab Gulf States and U.S. military bases in the region.
“Today, the ayatollahs are not only attacking America, Israel and the Iranian people. They are now attacking the entire Middle East and beyond,” the official said.
“They are attacking civilians and American assets in Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, Oman and Cyprus in Europe,” the official said, noting this proved the foresight of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as he had predicted that Iranian missiles would one day reach Europe.
“Removing the ayatollah regime will finally make true peace possible and bring prosperity to the Middle East and beyond,” the official said.
Israeli leaders have urged the Iranian people to rise up. On Feb. 28, Netanyahu told Iranians “to throw off the shackles of the Islamic regime after 47 years.”
“Do not miss this opportunity,” Netanyahu said, calling on all parts of Iranian society to unite in taking back their country.
On Sunday, U.S. President Donald Trump described the killing of Khamenei as “the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their country.”
Trump urged, “All Iranian patriots who yearn for freedom to seize this moment. ... I made a promise to you, and I fulfilled that promise. The rest will be up to you. But we’ll be there to help.”
The Israel Defense Forces on Sunday said the targeted killing of Khamenei marked the “culmination” of many efforts to eliminate Iran’s regional terror leadership.
The army said a series of operations, including last June’s 12-day war, had dismantled the leadership of the Iranian-built terror axis, which had been responsible for many attacks against Israel.
Despite the blows it has sustained, the Iranian regime remains defiant.
On Monday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that while the country had “lost some top-ranking military commanders,” they had been “immediately replaced.”
