Netanyahu Orders IDF, Mossad to Pursue Overthrow of Iranian Regime

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Wednesday that he has instructed the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Mossad, along with other security branches, to actively pursue the overthrow of the Iranian regime, asserting it is the sole method to permanently eliminate the nuclear threat posed by Tehran.

"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 stated during a graduation ceremony for an IDF officer course. He further elaborated that as long as Iran strives to acquire nuclear weapons, Israel faces an existential threat.

Netanyahu claimed that Iran resumed its nuclear program following "Operation Rising Lion" and attempted to conceal the project deep within a mountain. He attributed the subsequent joint Israeli-U.S. operation, "Operation Roaring Lion," to this, stating its initial strike resulted in the death of Ali Khamenei. The prime minister accused Mojtaba Khamenei, who succeeded his father and now leads Iran, of continuing the pursuit of nuclear weapons.

According to Netanyahu, U.S. President Donald Trump also supports the objective of toppling the Iranian regime, quoting Trump as saying, "We are ready to finish the job," but only in conjunction with Israel.

Netanyahu further declared his intention to "eliminate the head of the octopus" and subsequently dismantle Hamas and Hezbollah, asserting that many neighboring countries, as well as the Iranian populace, hope for Israel's victory.

Addressing the graduating officers, Netanyahu framed the overthrow of the Iranian regime as their mission and urged them to "eliminate the Axis of Evil once and for all."

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz also spoke at the ceremony, issuing a warning that "Iran will burn" if the Islamic Republic initiates an attack on Israel. Katz suggested that Tehran and its proxies are planning terror attacks to influence the outcome of the upcoming Knesset elections on October 27.

"The Iranian regime is at its weakest point ever, and we identify that this weakness could lead it to take the most extreme steps, including against the State of Israel," Katz stated. He added, "Our message to the Iranian regime is clear. We identify your attempts, we are prepared to thwart them, and ready to strike you with full force."

Katz emphasized that any entity attacking Israel, whether before or after the elections, would face severe consequences.

In separate remarks on Wednesday, former President Donald Trump expressed his view that developments concerning Iran could occur "fairly soon." He also mentioned ongoing talks, though his statements presented some ambiguity regarding the exact nature of negotiations. Trump also credited his administration with stopping Iran from developing nuclear weapons, stating, "It took a lot of courage to do it because no other president was willing to do it."