- Israel's Defence Minister threatened assassination of Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei
- Katz ordered Israeli PM and IDF to prepare actions under Operation Roar of the Aryans
- Katz vowed to work with US partners to weaken Iran and support Iranian regime change
Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz issued an open assassination threat to Iran's new supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's successor Wednesday. The threat came hours after Iran elected Khamenei's son, Mojtaba, as the next Supreme Leader.
In a strongly worded post on social media, Katz wrote: "Any leader appointed by the Iranian terrorist regime to continue leading the plan to destroy Israel, threaten the United States and the free world and the countries of the region, and oppress the Iranian people - will be an unequivocal target for elimination."
"No matter what his name is or where he hides," Katz added in Hebrew.
Katz informed that he has instructed the Prime Minister and Israel Defence Forces (IDF) to "prepare and act with all means" to accomplish the mission as an integral part of the objectives of Operation "Roar of the Aryans".
"We will continue to act with all our might, together with our American partners, to crush the regime's capabilities and create the conditions for the Iranian people to overthrow and replace it," he added.
According to a report by Iran International on Tuesday night, Iran's Assembly of Experts elected Khamenei's son, Mojtaba, as the next Supreme Leader under pressure from the Revolutionary Guards.
However, the Iranian government, via the Consulate General in Mumbai's X handle, denied the claims, stating that media reports regarding potential candidates have no official source and are formally rejected.
The announcement came four days after Khamenei, who ruled Iran for 36 years, was killed in US-Israel strikes on the country on February 28, when he was in his 'compound'. Along with him, his daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter were killed.
Khamenei's wife, Mansoureh Khojasteh Bagherzadeh, died of injuries she sustained during the strikes.
Khamenei will reportedly be buried in the holy city of Mashhad, and a three-day state funeral will begin tonight.
"Starting at 10:00 pm (1830 GMT), the faithful will be able to pay a final homage to the body of the martyred guide of the nation, by visiting the Imam Khomenei grand mosque" in Tehran, official news agency Irna said, citing a statement from the Islamic Development Coordination Council.
Khamenei had no designated successor. A three-member Iran's interim Leadership Council comprising -- Ayatollah Alireza Arafi, President Masoud Pezeshkian, and Chief Justice Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei -- had assumed the Supreme Leader's responsibilities until the next successor was elected.
