Netanyahu: "Iran's Nuclear Program is a Second Holocaust...Regime Change Could Occur"

Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, suggested that as a result of military attacks on Iran, a regime change in Iran could occur.

On the 15th (local time), Prime Minister Netanyahu responded in an interview with the American outlet Fox News to a question about whether regime change in Iran was part of Israel's military efforts, stating, "It could be an outcome (of this operation). The Iranian regime is very weak."

He said, "We have prepared everything necessary to achieve our objectives," arguing that the purpose of the attack that began with the airstrikes on the 13th was "to eliminate Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile threats." He added, "We cannot allow the most dangerous regime in the world to possess the most dangerous weapons in the world."

While Israel maintains that regime change in Iran is not an explicit objective of the attack, Netanyahu stated immediately after the operation began that "We must stand up to the oppression of this evil regime."

Furthermore, Netanyahu emphasized that Israel's intelligence, shared with the United States, was "absolutely clear," noting, "There was a possibility that Iran could develop test and initial (nuclear weapons) devices within months, and certainly could achieve it within a year." He added, "We have detected uranium enrichment sufficient to produce nine nuclear bombs. We could not allow a second Holocaust, a nuclear Holocaust."

Regarding a Reuters report that former U.S. President Donald Trump rejected Israel's plan to assassinate Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Netanyahu declined to comment, saying, "I will not address that issue."

However, he revealed that Israel notified President Trump before striking Iran's military and nuclear facilities and that U.S. pilots have been shooting down Iranian drones headed toward Israel.

Kim Soo-young, Hankyung.com reporter swimmingk@hankyung.com