Netanyahu has urged citizens of Iran to rise against the country’s leadership following Israeli strikes that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has issued a direct appeal to citizens of Iran, urging them to rise against the country’s leadership and launch mass protests to “overthrow the regime” following Israeli military strikes.
In a video message released after the latest round of attacks that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Netanyahu said Israel’s ongoing military campaign would weaken Iran’s ruling establishment and create conditions for citizens to challenge what he described as a “terrorist regime”.
“In the coming days, we will strike thousands of targets of the terrorist regime,” Netanyahu said, adding that the operation aimed to enable “the brave people of Iran to free themselves from the chains of tyranny.”
Call for mass protests inside Iran
Addressing Iranians directly, Netanyahu described the current moment as a rare historic opportunity and urged citizens not to remain passive.
“This is an opportunity that comes only once in every generation,” he said, calling on Iranians to “take to the streets in your millions” and unite to bring down the ruling system.
He also addressed multiple ethnic communities — including Persians, Kurds, Azeris, Ahwazis and Baluchis — urging them to join what he described as a collective effort to secure Iran’s future.
Netanyahu claimed that external support long sought by regime opponents had now arrived, telling Iranians that their “moment will arrive soon”.
Regime change ‘not objective but possible outcome’
Netanyahu said he had previously been asked whether removing Iran’s leadership formed part of Israel’s military objectives.
According to the Israeli prime minister, dismantling Iran’s nuclear and missile capabilities remained the stated goal of the campaign, but political upheaval inside Iran could emerge as a consequence of sustained military pressure.
“I replied that it was not the objective, but it could certainly be the result,” he said, adding that protests already witnessed in Iran suggested citizens were being given an opportunity to “take their destiny into their own hands.”
The remarks come amid intensifying regional tensions following Israeli strikes on Iranian targets and Tehran’s retaliatory actions across West Asia, raising fears of a broader and prolonged conflict.
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