Netanyahu Says Israel Will Help Iranians Topple the Regime as Third War Objective
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that helping the Iranian people topple their regime has become a third war objective, announced during his first press conference since the hostilities began. He presented it alongside Israel’s existing aims in the conflict.
Netanyahu stressed that two remains in place: preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons and destroying its ballistic missile capabilities. He framed these as ongoing priorities even as he added the new objective.
Addressing Iranians directly, Netanyahu said a moment of freedom was approaching and that Israel stands with the Iranian people, but added that the ultimate decision lies in their hands.
On military actions, he said the Israeli Defense Forces have delivered deadly blows to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its bases, facilities and checkpoints, and he warned that more attacks would follow. He also noted the deaths of Iran’s top nuclear scientists in the course of these operations.
Netanyahu highlighted what he called an unusually close alliance with the United States, saying the two leaders share a strong bond and that he and President Donald Trump speak daily, exchanging ideas and advice.
He also criticized Iran’s new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, describing him as a puppet of the IRGC. Mojtaba Khamenei had appeared in public only in a limited way as his status as supreme leader was announced.
Iran’s newly named supreme leader issued his first public message, vowing not to hesitate to avenge martyrs’ blood; the statement was read by a state broadcaster, as he did not appear in public himself.
For U.S. readers, the statements amplify concerns about Iran’s nuclear program and ballistic-missile ambitions, and about Iran’s regional influence via the IRGC. They also signal potentially deeper U.S.-Israel coordination in a conflict with Tehran, with implications for security policy, defense planning, and energy markets, including the risk of regional escalation that could affect global supply chains. As Iran’s leadership transitions unfold, Washington will weigh sanctions policy, diplomacy, and allied actions in the region.