In a dangerous escalation of rhetoric, Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz threatened on Sunday to assassinate Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, stating bluntly:
“We will reach you personally.”
The provocative statement was reported by The Jerusalem Post, quoting Katz during a visit to the Ramon Airbase, a key Israeli Air Force installation. He declared:
“I want to send a clear message to the dictator Khamenei: If you continue threatening Israel, our long arm will once again strike Iran—and this time, it will reach you personally.”
Katz added, “Do not threaten us, or you will suffer the consequences,” according to RT Arabic.
A Pattern of Threats and Dangerous Comparisons
The minister made the remarks in the presence of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as he praised Israeli fighter jet crews stationed at the airbase.
Just last month, Katz issued a similar threat, comparing Khamenei’s potential fate to that of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, who was overthrown and later executed.
In that statement, Katz warned:
“I caution the Iranian dictator [referring to Khamenei] against continuing to commit war crimes and launching missiles at Israeli civilians.”
Without naming Saddam Hussein directly, Katz added:
“He should remember what happened to the dictator in the neighboring country who chose this same path against Israel.”
This reference harks back to the Gulf War, over three decades ago, when Saddam Hussein’s forces fired dozens of missiles at Israeli cities, including Tel Aviv and Haifa.
In 2003, the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq toppled Saddam under the pretext of weapons of mass destruction and alleged ties to al-Qaeda—claims that were never substantiated. Saddam Hussein was eventually executed on the morning of Eid al-Adha, December 30, 2006, a date that drew widespread condemnation and sorrow among many Sunni Muslim communities worldwide.
Former CIA Chief Reveals Tensions Between Trump and Israel Over Iran
Adding to the discourse, former CIA Director David Petraeus recently commented that former U.S. President Donald Trump had previously rejected Israeli proposals to assassinate Khamenei. Petraeus attributed the reluctance to concerns over Iran’s military capability and the unpredictable consequences of regime change.
“I personally witnessed how Iran built its militias across the region,” Petraeus said, referencing his command during the U.S. occupation of Iraq. “Iran was responsible for the deaths of hundreds of American soldiers.”
Despite his deep opposition to Iran’s government, Petraeus noted:
“I wouldn’t shed a tear if this regime fell. But I’m not confident about what might come next. And that uncertainty troubles me.”
He added that Arab states in the region are watching the developments closely, but are hesitant to intervene, fearing retaliation or destabilisation.
“No one wants their infrastructure targeted—as Iran did to the Saudi oil facility in Abqaiq—nor do they want to see the Houthis launching rockets at them again,” Petraeus concluded.
