Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that he has directed the military and the Mossad to bring down the Iranian government.
Speaking at a graduation ceremony for IDF officer cadets, Netanyahu said his instruction to the Israel Defense Forces and the Mossad was “to overthrow the regime in Iran”, saying that Tehran “has not yet learned its lesson”.
He accused Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei of following in his father’s footsteps by “unlocking the weapon”, and said Iran was again trying to build a nuclear bomb.
The remarks follow similar language in September, when Netanyahu told the IDF General Staff that toppling the regime was “within reach”.
Israel and the United States have been in an intermittent conflict with Iran since earlier this year, during which Ali Khamenei was killed.
Israel’s Channel 12, citing US officials, reported that dozens of Israeli fighter jets and refuelling aircraft flew over Syria and Iraq towards the Iranian border earlier this week on a route suggesting an attack, though the aircraft turned back shortly before reaching Iranian territory.
According to Channel 12, Israel told Washington in advance that the flight was an exercise and a show of force meant to deter Iran.
The channel said some sources believe certain Israeli officials may have hoped Iran would fire on the aircraft, giving Israel a pretext to attack.
The Financial Times has reported that Netanyahu sought to launch strikes against Iran earlier this month, but that US president Donald Trump opposed a new conflict ahead of the US midterm elections.
Channel 12 also reported that IDF chief of staff Eyal Zamir warned his American counterpart, General Dan Caine, that a war before Israel’s elections next week would probably force a postponement of the vote.