
Netanyahu says no one is immune, hints Iran's Khamenei could be a target
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday said that "no one is immune" to Israeli attacks, indicating that Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei may also be "a target".He made the comments in response to a question during a tour of Soroka Medical Centre in the southern Israeli city of Beersheba, which came under Iranian missile attacks on Thursday morning.advertisement'I gave instructions that no one is immune," he said. "I prefer not to deal with headlines and to let actions speak for themselves,' he added.
'During a war, words have to be chosen with care, and actions with precision,' Netanyahu said, adding, 'All the options are open. It's best not to speak about this in the press'.The prime minister reiterated that Israel's operation in Iran was against its nuclear programme and missile stockpile to save his country, unlike 'theirs that targets innocent civilians'."They fire at hospitals where people are unable to escape danger,' Netanyahu said."This is the difference between a functioning democracy that adheres to the law and these murderers," he said.Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz earlier publicly threatened Khamenei."Preventing the existence of Khamenei, the modern Hitler – is one of the goals of the operation," Katz said during a tour of an impacted site in the city of Holon.advertisement"A dictator like Khamenei, who leads Iran and has inscribed the destruction of Israel on his flag – he cannot continue to exist,' the defence minister said, adding that Iran's spiritual leader "has great ideological influence, he uses all his resources for the cause, and today we see proof that he is giving orders to shoot at hospitals".On the US call regarding its direct participation in the Israeli operation to foil Iran's nuclear programme, Netanyahu said that it 'is a decision for President Donald Trump to make'.'He will do what is good for America, and I will do what's good for Israel,' the Israeli prime minister said, adding that the US president 'knows the game'.Stressing that Israel will carry out the entire mission by itself, if needed, he said, 'At the end of this operation, there will be no nuclear threat on Israel, and there won't be a ballistic threat.'There has been speculation that Trump will decide to join Israel's offensive against Iran.Altogether, 147 people are said to have been brought to various hospitals across the country after Iran launched a fresh barrage of ballistic missiles impacting places like Ramat Gan, Holon and Beersheba.Iran has fired over four hundred ballistic missiles and more than a thousand drones over Israel since the Jewish state launched Operation Rising Lion on Friday, with the twin goals of eliminating the nuclear and missile threat from the Islamic Republic.advertisementMeanwhile, due to the ongoing conflict, wartime restrictions on the reporting of the events have been imposed.The restrictions included news related to operations, targets for attack, specific operations for protection and security, damage to strategic facilities and military bases, and damage to operational capabilities and/or the capability to provide essential services.Must Watch

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Time of India
24 minutes ago
- Time of India
'Not asking for US green light': Netanyahu says Israel will hit all nuclear sites in Iran; quiet on eliminating Khamenei
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made it clear that Israel will not wait for a US green light to continue its military campaign against Iran and is fully committed to hitting all Iranian nuclear sites — including the heavily fortified Fordo facility. "We will achieve all our objectives and hit all of their nuclear facilities. We have the capability to do that," Netanyahu declared in a rare Hebrew-language interview with the Kan public broadcaster, underscoring Israel's determination to act decisively and independently. The comment came hours after US President Donald Trump said he will decide whether to join Israel's strikes on Iran within the next two weeks as there is still a "substantial" chance of talks to end the conflict. "Based on the fact that there's a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks," Trump had said in a statement. Netanyahu emphasised that Israel is proceeding with its campaign regardless of whether the United States decides to join the offensive. 'Whether US President Donald Trump wants to join or not — that's entirely his decision,' he said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo 'He'll do what's good for the United States, and I'll do what's good for the State of Israel.' The prime minister stressed that Israel is not asking for permission or a 'green light' from any foreign power. 'Either way, we're going to do this, because we have no choice. We will not allow 3,500 years of Jewish history to come to an end because of this deranged ayatollah,' Netanyahu declared, referencing Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Netanyahu outlined Israel's comprehensive strategy to neutralise Iran's nuclear threat by targeting every nuclear facility, including the underground Fordo site, which is widely considered one of the most secure and difficult to strike. 'We have the capability to do that,' he said confidently, signaling Israel's readiness to deploy advanced military assets to destroy even the most heavily fortified targets. The prime minister reported that Israel is 'ahead of schedule' in its campaign, having already destroyed at least half of Iran's missile launchers and eliminated key military leaders. He highlighted ongoing strikes against paramilitary forces such as the Basij militia, which plays a critical role in suppressing dissent within Iran. Netanyahu also noted that Israel has inflicted 'heavy damage' on the regime's internal security apparatus and will continue to target symbols of the Iranian government. While Israel is prepared to act independently, Netanyahu acknowledged the importance of US support. He revealed that he speaks with President Trump almost daily and described their conversations as 'very good.' However, he declined to disclose details, saying, 'Let's not call on the historical archive to release itself just yet.' Netanyahu praised Trump's recognition of Israel's right to self-defense, contrasting it with former President Joe Biden's attempts to restrict Israeli operations against Iranian proxies. On the question of regime change, Netanyahu reiterated that it is ultimately up to the Iranian people. 'The issue of regime change or the downfall of this administration primarily concerns the Iranian populace,' he said. Nonetheless, he emphasized that Israel is striking government targets and symbols of the regime and that 'there's more to come.' Netanyahu described Iran's Supreme Leader as a 'deranged ayatollah' threatening the future of the Jewish people and stressed that Israel will do 'everything necessary' to neutralize the existential threat posed by Iran's nuclear ambitions. Asked whether Khamenei is a dead man walking, he replied: "I gave instructions that no one is immune. I prefer not to deal with [making] headlines and to let actions speak for themselves." 'During a war words have to be chosen with care, and actions with precision," he said adding that he expects this 'from my ministers as well", an implied criticism of defense minister Israel Katz, who has been publicly threatening Khamenei.


Time of India
26 minutes ago
- Time of India
Oil set to rise for third week on escalating Israel-Iran conflict
Oil prices were on track to rise for the third straight week despite slipping on Friday, with investors on edge as the week-old war between Israel and Iran showed no signs of either side backing down. Brent crude futures fell $1.57 cents, or 2%, to $77.28 a barrel by 0030 GMT. On a weekly basis, it was up 3.9%. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like War Thunder - Register now for free and play against over 75 Million real Players War Thunder Play Now Undo The U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude for July - which did not settle on Thursday as it was a U.S. holiday and expires on Friday - was up 86 cents, or 1.1%, to $76. The more liquid WTI for August rose 0.7%, or 50 cents to $74. Prices jumped almost 3% on Thursday as Israel bombed nuclear targets in Iran, and Iran fired missiles and drones at Israel after hitting an Israeli hospital overnight. "Oil prices remain high due to doubled tanker rates and ships avoiding the Strait of Hormuz ," said Phil Flynn, analyst at The Price Futures Group. Live Events "The risk to supply is keeping them on edge while there have been no major disruptions of Iranian exports," Flynn said. Iran is the third-largest producer among members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, extracting about 3.3 million barrels per day of crude oil. About 18 million to 21 million bpd of oil and oil products move through the Strait of Hormuz along Iran's southern coast, and there is widespread concern the fighting could disrupt trade flows in a blow to supplies. There was no sign of an exit strategy from either side, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tehran's "tyrants" would pay the "full price" and Iran warned against a "third party" joining the attacks. The White House said on Thursday that President Donald Trump will decide whether the U.S. will get involved in the Israel-Iran conflict in the next two weeks. "The "two-week deadline" is a tactic Trump has used in other key decisions. Often these deadlines expire without concrete action,.. which would see the crude oil price remain elevated and potentially build on recent gains," said Tony Sycamore, analyst at IG.


Time of India
26 minutes ago
- Time of India
Gold steady as Israel-Iran conflict escalates, US involvement uncertain
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