‘Shaping destiny’:Netanyahu claims Iran’s top security official Ali Larijani eliminated | WATCH

Tel Aviv: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday claimed that a joint US-Israeli military strike eliminated Iran’s top security official, Ali Larijani, describing the operation as part of efforts to weaken the Iranian government and empower the Iranian people to determine their own future.

“This morning, we eliminated Ali Larijani...Alongside him, we also eliminated the commander of the Basij. They are the gangsters' assistants who are terrorising the population in the streets of Tehran and other Iranian cities,” Netanyahu said in a statement.

Larijani had assumed control of Iran’s war management operations following the assassination of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei by Israel on February 28, marking the first strike in what is now the eighteenth day of the conflict.

There has been no official statement from Tehran regarding Larijani’s status or the operations against the Basij leadership.

Netanyahu reiterated that the strikes aim to undermine the Iranian regime while leaving the eventual overthrow of the government to the Iranian people.

“We are undermining this regime in the hope of giving the Iranian people an opportunity to remove it. It will not happen all at once, and it will not happen easily. But if we persist, we will give them the chance to take their destiny into their own hands,” he said.

Israel-US military cooperation in the region

The Israeli Premier emphasised that Israel is conducting operations across multiple locations in Iran using Air Force jets and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

He confirmed ongoing cooperation with the United States, stating, “We are helping our American friends in the Gulf. I spoke at length with President Trump on this matter yesterday. There is cooperation between our air forces and navies, between me and President Trump and his staff. We will assist both through indirect attacks, which create immense pressure on the Iranian regime, and through direct actions.”

Netanyahu hinted at further undisclosed strategies, citing the biblical maxim: “By stratagems, you shall make war. We have many more surprises, but we will keep them confidential for now.”

Determination key to victory, says Netanyahu

Addressing the Israeli public, Netanyahu stressed the importance of resolve and determination in achieving military objectives.

“The most important thing for winning a war is determination: Determination, determination, determination. The determination of the leaders, the determination of the commanders, and the determination of the people. We are determined to win, and we will achieve these goals,” he said, asserting that Israel has emerged stronger since the October 7 attacks.

He also reassured citizens affected by ongoing hostilities, including those facing insurance and compensation claims, that the state would provide support.

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Israel asserts growing regional and global power

Netanyahu claimed that Israel has become a formidable regional and global power, strengthened by its alliance with the United States. “I ask you to simply ignore the 'channels of gloom.' We are achieving historical milestones...We have reached a point where, after October 7, when we were on the brink of an abyss, we are now a formidable power, almost a global one, fighting shoulder-to-shoulder with our friend, the global superpower,” he said, underscoring Israel’s military and strategic capabilities in the ongoing conflict.

The statements mark a continuation of Israel’s public narrative regarding military operations against Iran, regional security, and the country’s strategic partnership with the United States.

PTI