Israel-Iran War: Netanyahu Vows to ‘Eradicate’ Regime as Conflict Escalates
Israel has vowed to continue its military campaign against Iran “with all our force” in a bid to “eradicate the regime,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared late Saturday, as Tehran dismissed calls for surrender and the conflict entered its second week. The escalating tensions are far from limited to those two nations, with explosions reported across multiple regions of the Middle East well into Sunday morning.
The Israeli military reportedly struck a Hezbollah stronghold in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon. The Lebanese Ministry of Health reported eight fatalities from separate attacks in the south of the country. Meanwhile, Iran continued retaliatory strikes against neighboring countries hosting U.S. Forces, utilizing both missiles and drones.
Kuwait reported on Sunday morning what it described as a “direct attack on vital infrastructure,” with drones targeting fuel tanks at its international airport. Simultaneously, air defense systems intercepted rockets fired towards the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq. A strong explosion also reverberated through the capital of Bahrain overnight, according to an AFP journalist on the ground.
“We have a methodical plan, with many surprises, to eradicate the regime and allow for change,” Netanyahu stated in a televised address. The Israeli military claims to have conducted 3,400 attacks in the past week, while Washington reports 3,000.
The conflict ignited following U.S.-Israeli strikes that resulted in the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran’s subsequent retaliatory attacks have broadened to include Lebanon, Cyprus, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and maritime areas off the coast of Sri Lanka. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have claimed responsibility for strikes targeting the U.S. Juffair base in Bahrain and other locations.
U.S. President Donald Trump, at the beginning of the conflict, called on the Iranian people to overthrow the Islamic Republic, established in 1979. While Washington seeks the fall of the current government, the stated objective is to dismantle Iran’s ballistic capabilities and prevent it from developing nuclear weapons – a claim Tehran denies.
Residents of Tehran, contacted by AFP, reported the establishment of checkpoints throughout the capital. One 40-year-old resident, requesting anonymity, said shops remained open and goods were “available,” though “everything has become a little more expensive.”
Iranian authorities claim approximately 1,000 people have been killed since the start of the war, with around 30% being children. These figures, however, remain unverified by independent sources. Tehran attributes the deaths, in part, to Israeli and U.S. Strikes, including a deadly bombing of a school during the first day of the conflict, which reportedly resulted in over 150 fatalities.
President Trump, however, contradicted this account on Saturday, attributing responsibility to Iran and questioning the “precision” of its military. The school bombing may have been caused by a U.S. Munition targeting a nearby Revolutionary Guard naval base, according to an investigation published Thursday by The New York Times.
Trump also participated in a ceremony on Saturday for the dignified transfer of the remains of the first six U.S. Service members killed in the war, who were stationed in Kuwait.
Several Iranian officials insisted on Saturday that they have no intention of surrendering. Ali Larijani, head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, suggested the Americans were “trapped” by anticipating a short-lived opposition. “They thought it would be like in Venezuela: they would attack, take control, and it would all be over. But now they are stuck,” he said in a pre-recorded television interview.
Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejeí, the head of the Iranian judiciary, stated that Tehran would continue its attacks on certain states in the region, alleging they had “provided the enemy” with intelligence. Gulf countries maintain their territories are not being used to launch attacks against Iran.
Gulf monarchies were on high alert Saturday, with a Pakistani driver killed in Dubai by debris from an intercepted projectile. Attacks also targeted Kuwait, where the national oil company announced a “preventive” reduction in production. Saudi Arabia took similar measures.
Meanwhile, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam warned of an impending “humanitarian disaster” as more than 450,000 people have been displaced and 300 killed since the country was drawn into the conflict on Monday, following Hezbollah attacks on Israel in what it described as retaliation for the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.