Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calls on Iranians to overthrow 'evil and oppressive regime' as both sides escalate strikes
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called on Iranians to overthrow the "evil and oppressive" regime of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as both sides escalated military strikes.
Israel's pre-emptive bombardment of Iran's nuclear facilities triggered a swift response from Tehran, with dozens of missiles launched toward Jerusalem and Tel Aviv over the weekend.
At least 10 people were killed and more than 200 injured across Israel, with further strikes expected to push both numbers higher in the coming days.
Meanwhile, the Israel Defence Force has stepped up its own bombing campaign, targeting major gas and oil sites in Iran in a bid to cripple the nation's economy.
The IDF's actions have landed a devastating blow to Tehran's leadership, which was already deeply unpopular with many Iranians, and Mr Netanyahu has attempted to capitalise on any weakness by encouraging civilians to rise up against the government.
"The time has come for the Iranian people to unite around its flag and its historic legacy, by standing up for your freedom from the evil and oppressive regime," he said following the latest round of strikes.
Mr Netanyahu's call is the clearest sign yet Israel is seeking to force a change of regime in Iran.
While the IDF has maintained its primary focus is the disarmament of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's government, including preventing Tehran from producing a nuclear weapon, the Israeli Prime Minister's comments suggest toppling the government is of equal priority.
In a press briefing on Monday, an IDF spokesman repeatedly insisted Israel was not interested in destroying Iran, but was coy when pressed on whether this meant it was hoping to topple Ayatollah Khamenei.
"Our fight is not with the people of Iran, it is with the Iranian regime, it is aimed at removing this existential threat from over our heads," Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani said.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Canberra Times
37 minutes ago
- Canberra Times
Israel strikes state TV after Iran missiles kill eight
Speaking to Reuters on Friday, the first day of Israel's assault, Trump said he had given the Iranians 60 days to come to an agreement to halt uranium enrichment and that the time had expired with no deal.
The Advertiser
39 minutes ago
- The Advertiser
Israel strikes state TV after Iran missiles kill eight
Israel has struck Iran's state-run television station during a live broadcast, forcing a reporter to run off camera following an explosion, after Iran fired a new wave of missiles that killed at least eight people. Israel's military said the state media building served as a communications centre used by Iran's armed forces. The conflict entered its fifth day on Tuesday, with air raid sirens sounding in Tel Aviv shortly after midnight as Iran launched additional missiles toward Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the Israeli strikes have set Iran's nuclear program back a "very, very long time." He added Israel is not attempting to topple the Iranian government, but he said he would not be surprised if that happened as a result of the strikes. "The regime is very weak," Netanyahu told a news conference. US President Donald Trump posted on his social media site an ominous message calling for the immediate evacuation of Tehran. He made the post while in Canada attending the G7 summit. "IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON," Trump posted, adding that Iran should have signed the "deal" he told it to sign to prevent what he said was "a shame, and waste of human life," referring to Israel's attack last week. Trump ended the post with, "Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!" Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told four European counterparts that Iran was serious about diplomacy but its current focus was on confronting aggression, Iranian state media reported. Israel has said its goal is to eliminate Tehran's ability to develop a nuclear weapon. Iran says more than 224 Iranians have been killed, most of them civilians. Israel says 24 people have been killed, all of them civilians. Sources told Reuters that Tehran had asked Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia to press Trump to use his influence on Netanyahu to push for an immediate ceasefire. In return, Iran would show flexibility in nuclear negotiations, said the two Iranian and three regional sources. "If President Trump is genuine about diplomacy and interested in stopping this war, next steps are consequential," Araqchi said on X. "Israel must halt its aggression, and absent a total cessation of military aggression against us, our responses will continue. It takes one phone call from Washington to muzzle someone like Netanyahu." Speaking to Reuters on Friday, the first day of Israel's assault, Trump said he had given the Iranians 60 days to come to an agreement to halt uranium enrichment and that the time had expired with no deal. Talks between the United States and Iran, hosted by Oman, had been scheduled for Sunday but were scrapped, with Tehran saying it could not negotiate while under attack. Iranian media said Iran was preparing for the "largest and most intense missile attack" yet against Israel, including against military and intelligence targets. Israel launched its air war with a surprise attack that killed nearly the entire top echelon of Iran's military commanders and its leading nuclear scientists. It says it now has control of Iranian airspace and intends to escalate the campaign in coming days. Israel said it hit Iranian F-14 fighter planes at Tehran airport on Monday, and its air strikes have also put at least two of Iran's three operating uranium enrichment plants out of action. Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, told the BBC it was very likely all the roughly 15,000 centrifuges operating at Iran's biggest uranium enrichment plant at Natanz were badly damaged or destroyed because of a power cut caused by an Israeli strike. with AP Israel has struck Iran's state-run television station during a live broadcast, forcing a reporter to run off camera following an explosion, after Iran fired a new wave of missiles that killed at least eight people. Israel's military said the state media building served as a communications centre used by Iran's armed forces. The conflict entered its fifth day on Tuesday, with air raid sirens sounding in Tel Aviv shortly after midnight as Iran launched additional missiles toward Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the Israeli strikes have set Iran's nuclear program back a "very, very long time." He added Israel is not attempting to topple the Iranian government, but he said he would not be surprised if that happened as a result of the strikes. "The regime is very weak," Netanyahu told a news conference. US President Donald Trump posted on his social media site an ominous message calling for the immediate evacuation of Tehran. He made the post while in Canada attending the G7 summit. "IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON," Trump posted, adding that Iran should have signed the "deal" he told it to sign to prevent what he said was "a shame, and waste of human life," referring to Israel's attack last week. Trump ended the post with, "Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!" Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told four European counterparts that Iran was serious about diplomacy but its current focus was on confronting aggression, Iranian state media reported. Israel has said its goal is to eliminate Tehran's ability to develop a nuclear weapon. Iran says more than 224 Iranians have been killed, most of them civilians. Israel says 24 people have been killed, all of them civilians. Sources told Reuters that Tehran had asked Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia to press Trump to use his influence on Netanyahu to push for an immediate ceasefire. In return, Iran would show flexibility in nuclear negotiations, said the two Iranian and three regional sources. "If President Trump is genuine about diplomacy and interested in stopping this war, next steps are consequential," Araqchi said on X. "Israel must halt its aggression, and absent a total cessation of military aggression against us, our responses will continue. It takes one phone call from Washington to muzzle someone like Netanyahu." Speaking to Reuters on Friday, the first day of Israel's assault, Trump said he had given the Iranians 60 days to come to an agreement to halt uranium enrichment and that the time had expired with no deal. Talks between the United States and Iran, hosted by Oman, had been scheduled for Sunday but were scrapped, with Tehran saying it could not negotiate while under attack. Iranian media said Iran was preparing for the "largest and most intense missile attack" yet against Israel, including against military and intelligence targets. Israel launched its air war with a surprise attack that killed nearly the entire top echelon of Iran's military commanders and its leading nuclear scientists. It says it now has control of Iranian airspace and intends to escalate the campaign in coming days. Israel said it hit Iranian F-14 fighter planes at Tehran airport on Monday, and its air strikes have also put at least two of Iran's three operating uranium enrichment plants out of action. Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, told the BBC it was very likely all the roughly 15,000 centrifuges operating at Iran's biggest uranium enrichment plant at Natanz were badly damaged or destroyed because of a power cut caused by an Israeli strike. with AP Israel has struck Iran's state-run television station during a live broadcast, forcing a reporter to run off camera following an explosion, after Iran fired a new wave of missiles that killed at least eight people. Israel's military said the state media building served as a communications centre used by Iran's armed forces. The conflict entered its fifth day on Tuesday, with air raid sirens sounding in Tel Aviv shortly after midnight as Iran launched additional missiles toward Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the Israeli strikes have set Iran's nuclear program back a "very, very long time." He added Israel is not attempting to topple the Iranian government, but he said he would not be surprised if that happened as a result of the strikes. "The regime is very weak," Netanyahu told a news conference. US President Donald Trump posted on his social media site an ominous message calling for the immediate evacuation of Tehran. He made the post while in Canada attending the G7 summit. "IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON," Trump posted, adding that Iran should have signed the "deal" he told it to sign to prevent what he said was "a shame, and waste of human life," referring to Israel's attack last week. Trump ended the post with, "Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!" Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told four European counterparts that Iran was serious about diplomacy but its current focus was on confronting aggression, Iranian state media reported. Israel has said its goal is to eliminate Tehran's ability to develop a nuclear weapon. Iran says more than 224 Iranians have been killed, most of them civilians. Israel says 24 people have been killed, all of them civilians. Sources told Reuters that Tehran had asked Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia to press Trump to use his influence on Netanyahu to push for an immediate ceasefire. In return, Iran would show flexibility in nuclear negotiations, said the two Iranian and three regional sources. "If President Trump is genuine about diplomacy and interested in stopping this war, next steps are consequential," Araqchi said on X. "Israel must halt its aggression, and absent a total cessation of military aggression against us, our responses will continue. It takes one phone call from Washington to muzzle someone like Netanyahu." Speaking to Reuters on Friday, the first day of Israel's assault, Trump said he had given the Iranians 60 days to come to an agreement to halt uranium enrichment and that the time had expired with no deal. Talks between the United States and Iran, hosted by Oman, had been scheduled for Sunday but were scrapped, with Tehran saying it could not negotiate while under attack. Iranian media said Iran was preparing for the "largest and most intense missile attack" yet against Israel, including against military and intelligence targets. Israel launched its air war with a surprise attack that killed nearly the entire top echelon of Iran's military commanders and its leading nuclear scientists. It says it now has control of Iranian airspace and intends to escalate the campaign in coming days. Israel said it hit Iranian F-14 fighter planes at Tehran airport on Monday, and its air strikes have also put at least two of Iran's three operating uranium enrichment plants out of action. Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, told the BBC it was very likely all the roughly 15,000 centrifuges operating at Iran's biggest uranium enrichment plant at Natanz were badly damaged or destroyed because of a power cut caused by an Israeli strike. with AP Israel has struck Iran's state-run television station during a live broadcast, forcing a reporter to run off camera following an explosion, after Iran fired a new wave of missiles that killed at least eight people. Israel's military said the state media building served as a communications centre used by Iran's armed forces. The conflict entered its fifth day on Tuesday, with air raid sirens sounding in Tel Aviv shortly after midnight as Iran launched additional missiles toward Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the Israeli strikes have set Iran's nuclear program back a "very, very long time." He added Israel is not attempting to topple the Iranian government, but he said he would not be surprised if that happened as a result of the strikes. "The regime is very weak," Netanyahu told a news conference. US President Donald Trump posted on his social media site an ominous message calling for the immediate evacuation of Tehran. He made the post while in Canada attending the G7 summit. "IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON," Trump posted, adding that Iran should have signed the "deal" he told it to sign to prevent what he said was "a shame, and waste of human life," referring to Israel's attack last week. Trump ended the post with, "Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!" Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told four European counterparts that Iran was serious about diplomacy but its current focus was on confronting aggression, Iranian state media reported. Israel has said its goal is to eliminate Tehran's ability to develop a nuclear weapon. Iran says more than 224 Iranians have been killed, most of them civilians. Israel says 24 people have been killed, all of them civilians. Sources told Reuters that Tehran had asked Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia to press Trump to use his influence on Netanyahu to push for an immediate ceasefire. In return, Iran would show flexibility in nuclear negotiations, said the two Iranian and three regional sources. "If President Trump is genuine about diplomacy and interested in stopping this war, next steps are consequential," Araqchi said on X. "Israel must halt its aggression, and absent a total cessation of military aggression against us, our responses will continue. It takes one phone call from Washington to muzzle someone like Netanyahu." Speaking to Reuters on Friday, the first day of Israel's assault, Trump said he had given the Iranians 60 days to come to an agreement to halt uranium enrichment and that the time had expired with no deal. Talks between the United States and Iran, hosted by Oman, had been scheduled for Sunday but were scrapped, with Tehran saying it could not negotiate while under attack. Iranian media said Iran was preparing for the "largest and most intense missile attack" yet against Israel, including against military and intelligence targets. Israel launched its air war with a surprise attack that killed nearly the entire top echelon of Iran's military commanders and its leading nuclear scientists. It says it now has control of Iranian airspace and intends to escalate the campaign in coming days. Israel said it hit Iranian F-14 fighter planes at Tehran airport on Monday, and its air strikes have also put at least two of Iran's three operating uranium enrichment plants out of action. Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, told the BBC it was very likely all the roughly 15,000 centrifuges operating at Iran's biggest uranium enrichment plant at Natanz were badly damaged or destroyed because of a power cut caused by an Israeli strike. with AP
7NEWS
an hour ago
- 7NEWS
Australian Emily Gian speaks of grim reality of living in Israel amid escalating conflict with Iran
An Australian woman living in Israel has talked about the grim reality of life in the country amid its escalating conflict with Iran and tit-for-tat airstrikes. The Israeli military launched attacks on Friday, with the aim of wiping out Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programs. Iran vowed to 'open the gates of hell' in retaliation, while Israel has also hit critical oil refineries. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said 350 Australians have registered for help getting out of Iran, while another 300 Aussies had asked for aid in Israel. Emily Gian, who lives in the city of Yehud, has been caught in the crosshairs of the conflict. 'The last few days have been incredibly intense,' Gian told Sunrise on Tuesday. 'It feels more intense than the whole nearly two years of the war that's been going on. It's actually really hard to put in words, because it's not something we've ever experienced before.' Gian moved to Israel just months before the Hamas terror attack on the country on October 7, 2023 killed more than 1,200 innocent Israelis and sparked a war on Gaza. 'We arrived here ... in July of 2023. So, a few months before October 7,' Gian said. 'The (October 7 attack) obviously really caught the whole country off-guard, but also particularly people that have never lived through any sort of rocket attacks or anything before. 'That whole day was obviously so intense, and the weeks that followed after that. But these ballistic missile attacks from the Islamic republic of Iran have just been on a whole new level. 'It's been hundreds of missiles at a time. We have to go into the shelter. The protocol for the earlier rockets that were coming from Hamas was to go into a shelter for 10 minutes, then you could come out. 'But here it's going into the shelter and stay there until you get told you can come out.' Gian, a mother-of-three, admitted she was having difficulty explaining it to her children. 'I think from just the experience of the last two years, it's become easier to explain to them,' she said. 'It sounds awful, they're not desensitised to it but they're kind of used to it. 'They know what to do. They've done it before. It's like a fire drill, the more times that you practise it, the easier it is to be able to do it. 'We have the siren right next to our house, the actual speaker. So, it's very, very loud and when it wakes you in the middle of the night, it can really get them into a panic. 'But they sort of know everybody walks down, you have to go straight down. We've got basically two flights of stairs to get to our shelter and they're all pretty good at it now. 'So, it's been OK.' Assisted departures Foreign Minister Penny Wong has spoken about how the Australian government is assisting citizens. 'We are currently in the process of planning for assisted departures in the event that it is safe to do so,' Wong said on Monday. 'The timeline is primarily dictated by safety and as long as governments have closed down airspace because of the risk to civilian aircraft, obviously no one can fly — and we certainly can't fly.' Wong said the government was considering all options, including the use of Australian Defence Force or private charter planes. Among those trapped in Israel are a delegation hosted by the Australian/Israel and Jewish Affairs Council that includes Olympian and former senator Nova Peris. The military strikes were also discussed between Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney ahead of the G7 summit in Canada. Albanese has called for a de-escalation of the conflict amid fears it could spread into a wider war. 'Both of us share a view wanting to see a de-escalation of conflict, wanting to prioritise dialogue and diplomacy,' Albanese said in Calgary. 'I have expressed before our concern about Iran gaining the capacity of nuclear weapons as something that is a threat to security in the region. 'But we, along with other like-minded countries, do want to see that priority on dialogue and diplomacy.' Death toll climbs Iran's health ministry reported hundreds of people had been killed in the attacks since Friday, including many civilians. More than a dozen Israelis have been reported killed in retaliatory strikes. Defence Minister Richard Marles said the conflict would have a number of knock-on effects for the economy, including increasing petrol prices. 'We saw this with the war in Ukraine, that does disrupt global supply chains and that has an economic impact around the world,' Marles said. Experts have warned Iran's threat to close the Strait of Hormuz — the only maritime entry point into the Persian Gulf — would also send oil prices soaring. Marles added Australian diplomatic staff in Iran and Israel had all been accounted for, as had military personnel in the region. He reiterated safety warnings to Australians in the Middle East, with the situation remaining volatile.
