According to Netanyahu, both goals were critical to Israel's survival and Israel had no alternative but to launch a military strike after years of international sanctions, UN resolutions and endless negotiations that only allowed Iran to play out the clock while they continued to pursue their ambitions.
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Ali Khamenei, Benjamin Netanyahu, Donald Trump
(Photo: Getty Images, GPO, Evelyn Hockstein / Reuters/handout, Getty Images, IDF Spokesperson's Office)
Although Israel did not include bringing down the Ayatollah regime as a goal in the war, according to a report in the New York Times, Israeli officials no longer disqualify a possible targeted killing of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei.
Iran cannot deal with the threat from the Israeli Air Force after its aerial defenses were systematically destroyed. It can only target Israel's civilian areas in response to the IDF strikes on its nuclear and military sites, the killing of its senior security officials and the expanding attacks on its infrastructure.
The officials in Jerusalem admit Israel cannot bring down the Iranian regime in its military assault. Iran has a population of 100 million and is 63 times the size of Israel. NBC reported that Netanyahu requested that the United States join Israel in attacking Iran, but it is unclear if and when the Trump administration would agree. The Israeli officials, however, do not want to be seen as dragging the U.S. into a regional war while the president was still talking about a possible negotiated nuclear deal.
Israel was expecting Hezbollah forces to attack in support of Iran after the Israeli strikes began. Officials said they may be hesitating to gamble on "a dead horse," but Arab media reports over the weekend claimed the Beirut government cautioned Hezbollah against taking any action. All that might change under pressure from Iran.
