Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday (June 16) suggested that assassinating Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, would bring an end to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran, rather than escalate it.
In an interview with ABC News, Netanyahu was asked about reports that US President Donald Trump had previously blocked an Israeli plan to target Khamenei, fearing it would intensify tensions and potentially ignite a wider war. Catch Israel-Iran conflict LIVE updates here
‘It will end the conflict, not escalate it’: Netanyahu
“It’s not going to escalate the conflict, it’s going to end the conflict,” Netanyahu said, defending the controversial idea as a definitive solution to what he described as Iran’s persistent campaign of aggression.
Netanyahu accused Iran of prolonging hostilities in the region and pushing the world toward nuclear disaster.
Netanyahu accuses Iran of driving ‘forever war’
“The ‘forever war’ is what Iran wants, and they’re bringing us to the brink of nuclear war,” he said. “In fact, what Israel is doing is preventing this, bringing an end to this aggression, and we can only do so by standing up to the forces of evil.”
Israeli strikes deal major blow to Iran’s nuclear program
Netanyahu said that recent Israeli strikes have significantly delayed Iran’s nuclear program, setting it back “a very, very long time.”
While insisting that regime change in Tehran is not Israel’s objective, Netanyahu remarked that it wouldn’t surprise him if the current Iranian government fell as a consequence of the ongoing military action.
“The regime is very weak,” he noted, adding that he remains in daily contact with US President Donald Trump.
Israel strikes Iran’s State TV
Tehran-Tel Aviv hostilities intensify on Day 4 of conflict, with strikes on media, military, and civilian targets across both countries
The Israel-Iran conflict surged to a new level of intensity Monday (June 16) as Israel struck Iran’s state-run television station during a live broadcast, shortly after Iran launched a new wave of missiles that killed at least eight people in Israel.
The strike on Iran’s state TV station in central Tehran was preceded by an Israeli evacuation warning affecting over 330,000 residents. The warning, issued on the fourth day of hostilities, targeted an area housing Iran’s national broadcaster and police headquarters, which Israel claimed was doubling as a military operations cover.
During the live broadcast, an Iranian reporter was seen rushing off camera as an explosion occurred behind her. The screen abruptly cut to prerecorded programming amid reports of dust filling the studio. Iranian state media later confirmed the strike had interrupted live transmissions.
‘Full aerial superiority over Tehran’
Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin, an Israeli military spokesperson, declared that Israel had achieved “full aerial superiority over Tehran’s skies.” He said Israeli forces had destroyed more than 120 missile launchers—about a third of Iran’s arsenal—and downed two F-14 jets used to target Israeli aircraft. Israel also struck 10 Quds Force command centers in Tehran, calling the strikes “a deep and comprehensive blow to the Iranian threat.”
Iran vows retaliation, launches more missiles
In response, Iran launched around 100 missiles targeting Israeli cities, vowing further retaliation for the strikes that have devastated its nuclear and military infrastructure. Iran’s death toll since Friday has risen to at least 224, though rights groups estimate more than 400 fatalities, including nearly 200 civilians.
Civilian toll mounts in Israel
In Israel, at least 24 people have been killed and over 500 injured since the beginning of the conflict. Iranian missiles have struck Tel Aviv, Petah Tikva, and Haifa, hitting residential buildings and infrastructure. An early morning strike on Haifa’s oil refinery killed three workers, while a separate missile hit a residential building in Petah Tikva, wounding dozens.
One missile landed near the American consulate in Tel Aviv, prompting US Ambassador Mike Huckabee to confirm that no American personnel were injured, though damage was reported.
Escalation after Israeli airstrikes
His comments come amid a major escalation in hostilities following Israel’s June 13 airstrikes on Iranian nuclear and military sites, which triggered a wave of missile and drone retaliation from Tehran. Civilian casualties have risen on both sides, and concerns are growing that the conflict could spiral into a broader regional war.
Global leaders have issued urgent calls for restraint, while diplomatic channels remain frozen.
