Netanyahu Sets "Overthrow" of Iran as Definitive Objective
Speaking at a university ceremony in Kiryat Shmona near the Lebanese border, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a stark message. He labeled Iran's current government a "terror regime" and stated unequivocally that Israel is committed to its overthrow.
The "Head of the Snake": Iran Framed as Central Instigator
Netanyahu employed a vivid metaphor: "It is the head of this snake." He positioned groups like Lebanon's Hezbollah as limbs of this same entity. His reasoning was direct: by defeating the Iranian "head," the entire supported structure would collapse, including Hezbollah.
"Once you cut off its head, all the rest collapses." He projected that this outcome would subsequently pave the way for peace between Israel and Lebanon.
A Strategic Endgame Beyond Battlefield Gains
While acknowledging tactical successes by the Israeli Defense Forces against Hezbollah, Netanyahu insisted that military progress was not the final goal. "But I am determined to complete this mission," he stated, defining "completion" as the political end of the regime in Tehran.
U.S. Coordination and a Warning of Persistent Danger
Netanyahu revealed this objective has been part of high-level diplomacy, citing multiple discussions with former U.S. President Donald Trump, including recent talks. He justified the urgency by arguing that the regime's ideology remains dangerous even if it is battered.
He warned that if left in power, it would inevitably attempt to resume two core pursuits:
- The acquisition of nuclear weapons
- The reconstruction of its radical "axis" of alliances
Therefore, in his view, the only definitive way to prevent this resurgence is regime change in Iran. He concluded that with the regime's fall, its primary regional proxy, Hezbollah, would "cease to exist."