Khamenei can't be allowed to exist, Israeli minister fumes after fresh strikes
Israel's Defence Minister, Isarel Katz, said on Thursday that Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 'can no longer be allowed to exist' after an Israeli hospital was hit by an Iranian missile attack that wounded at least 47 people and struck key civilian infrastructure, including a major hospital, as reported by the news agency Associated Press.'Khamenei openly declares that he wants Israel destroyed — he personally gives the order to fire on hospitals. He considers the destruction of the state of Israel to be a goal,' Israel Katz told journalists in Holon near Tel Aviv. 'Such a man can no longer be allowed to exist.'advertisementHe added, "If during the terrible Holocaust the State of Israel had existed and the strong Israel Defense Forces had existed and we knew that we could send the IDF to the bunker to capture the Jew-hater Hitler in order to thwart the plan to exterminate the Jews that he led, we would have done that and sent the IDF and pulled him out and eliminated him, and so exactly accordingly, I see the situation that Khamenei is the modern Hitler.'
On Thursday, the Iranian barrage hit a high-rise and several residential buildings near Tel Aviv and caused a fire at the Soroka Medical Centre in Beersheba. The hospital, which serves roughly a million residents in southern Israel and houses over 1,000 beds, suffered damage to an old surgery building. However, the facility had been partially evacuated in advance, emergency services said patients had to be moved following the strike.advertisementReacting to the attack, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu said, "This morning, Iran's terrorist tyrants launched missiles at Soroka Hospital in Be'er Sheba and at civilians in central Israel. We will exact the full price from the tyrants in Tehran.'Two doctors at Soroka told the news agency Associated Press that the explosion occurred moments after air raid sirens blared.A spokesperson for the hospital reported 'damage to the hospital and extensive damage in various areas. We are currently assessing the damage, including injuries. We ask the public not to come to the hospital at this time.'Apart from Soroka hospital, Iranian missiles struck other areas, including a residential high-rise in Tel Aviv. A Tel Aviv hospital reported receiving 16 wounded individuals, three of whom were seriously injured.Retaliating to the Iranian strikes, Israel has carried out a series of strikes, the most significant of which targeted Iran's Arak heavy water reactor, a facility capable of producing plutonium, a material usable in nuclear weapons. The Israeli military said, 'The strike targeted the component intended for plutonium production, in order to prevent the reactor from being restored and used for nuclear weapons development.'Israel also hit another nuclear-related site near Natanz. Israeli fighter jets reportedly hit the reactor core seal at Arak to halt its potential use in weapons development.Since the conflict began with a surprise wave of Israeli airstrikes, more than 639 people have been killed in Iran, including 263 civilians, according to a Washington-based Iranian human rights group. Iran has since launched over 400 missiles and hundreds of drones at Israel, killing at least 24 people and injuring hundreds more, as reported by AP.With inputs from AP.Tune InMust Watch
IN THIS STORY#Israel#Iran
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
24 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Why US moved B-2 Spirit stealth bombers to Guam and how far is it from Iran?
The United States moved its B-2 bombers to Guam on Saturday, Reuters reported, citing two sources. This comes as tensions between Israel and Iran rose over the past week, with President Donald Trump weighing whether Washington should take part in Tel Aviv's strikes against Tehran. The White House has not confirmed why the bombers were deployed and if it is connected to the conflict in the Middle East. US moved B-2 Stealth Bombers to Guam on Saturday (AFP) The B-2 is equipped to carry the US's 30,000-pound GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator, which is designed to destroy targets deep underground. Washington has hinted that this weapon could be used to strike Iran's nuclear capability. One official told Reuters that no further orders had been given yet to move the bombers beyond Guam. Reports suggested that the move reduces sortie times compared to flights from Missouri, enhancing readiness for potential strikes. Read More: Nuclear watchdog warns of 'serious catastrophe' if Israel targets Iran's Bushehr reactor Guam's distance from Iran minimizes exposure to Iranian retaliation, unlike Middle Eastern bases, per However, some experts, according to NBC News, said that it was precautionary, noting no strike orders and ongoing diplomacy efforts by European leaders. Distance from Iran to Guam The approximate distance from Guam to Iran is 7,500 kilometers (4,660 miles). The B-2's unrefueled range of 9,000–10,000 kilometers allows it to reach Iran from Guam, though mid-air refueling, supported by KC-46 Pegasus tankers. Israel said on Saturday it had killed a veteran Iranian commander during attacks by both sides in the more than week-long air war, while Tehran said it would not negotiate over its nuclear program while under threat. Read More: 'Grossi will pay after...': Khamenei aide's blood-chilling threat to IAEA chief Israel says Iran was on the verge of developing nuclear weapons, while Iran says its atomic program is only for peaceful purposes. Trump has said he would take up to two weeks to decide whether the United States should enter the conflict on Israel's side, enough time "to see whether or not people come to their senses," he said. (With inputs from Reuters)
India Today
27 minutes ago
- India Today
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei names potential successors in case he is killed: Report
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has identified three senior clerics as potential successors in the event of his death, according to The New York Times, citing three Iranian Iran's constitution, the death of a supreme leader triggers a selection process led by the Assembly of Experts, an 88-member clerical body. Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, this process has been used only once, when Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was chosen as successor in aims to ensure a swift and orderly transition upon his death, The New York Times reported, citing sources. Khamenei has taken an extraordinary series of steps to preserve the Islamic Republic ever since Israel launched a series of surprise attacks last Friday, the report InMust Watch
Time of India
31 minutes ago
- Time of India
BMHRC opens DOTS facility at health centre in Ginnouri
Iran SHOCKS World With Its NUKES; Threatens To Pull Out Of Nuclear Ban Treaty If Israel Attacks... Iran has sent shockwaves through the world by announcing its intent to withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), dramatically escalating its standoff with Israel. Tehran signaled this stunning shift as Israeli air raids pummel Iranian cities for a fourth straight day, with the civilian death toll surpassing 220 and thousands injured. Iran's parliament is preparing a bill to quit the NPT and reconsider its nuclear weapons policy — a historic reversal after decades of insisting its nuclear program was peaceful. Times Of India
