Wednesday March 4th saw Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warn that whoever is chosen to replace slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will be treated as “a target for elimination” if they continue policies that threaten Israel and the U.S., and their regional allies.
The declaration comes as Iran’s Assembly of Experts convenes to select a new supreme leader following Khamenei’s death in an Israeli strike at the outset of the war. In recent days, Israeli forces have also struck sites tied to Iran’s clerical leadership, signaling a strategy aimed not only at degrading military assets but also at disrupting the regime’s ability to rebuild its command structure.
While the UK-based Chatham House think tank speculates that regime change in Iran may secure Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s reelection, Katz’s warning represents a significant escalation in tone. It underscores Israel’s stance that any future Iranian leader who upholds Tehran’s confrontational posture could face direct military action. Iranian officials have so far issued no public response to the threat.
