Defense Minister Israel Katz arrived Thursday at the site of the missile impact in Holon together with National Security Minister Haim Katz, escalating the tone toward the Iranian regime. "A dictator like Khamenei cannot be allowed to exist," Katz said. "Khamenei is a modern Hitler. He uses resources at the expense of his people for the destruction of Israel."
During his remarks at the scene, the defense minister added that "for decades, Khamenei has been a sole ruler. A dictator who has inscribed the destruction of the State of Israel on his flag. This is a terrible thing – such a person must not be allowed to exist. Alongside the operational objectives, preventing the existence of such a thing is also part of the goals. It's like a hornet's nest – when you approach it, you understand its significance."
In statements he published shortly before on social media, Katz wrote that "the cowardly Iranian dictator sits in the depths of his fortified bunker and fires targeted shots toward hospitals and residential buildings in Israel. These are among the most serious war crimes – and he will pay the price for them."
According to Katz, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the defense minister instructed the Israel Defense Forces "to increase the intensity of attacks against strategic targets in Iran and against government targets in Tehran – to remove threats from the State of Israel and undermine the ayatollahs' regime."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also responded this morning to the Iranian barrage and said that "this morning, Iran's terror thugs fired missiles toward Soroka Hospital in Beer Sheva and toward civilian population in central Israel. We will exact the full price from the tyrants in Tehran."
