Stressing that the “tornado continues to hit Tehran”, Katz had earlier suggested that “Air Force jets have now destroyed the Iranian regime’s Internal Security Headquarters—the Iranian dictator’s central repressive arm.”
“As we promised, we will continue to harm symbols of government and strike at the ayatollah regime everywhere,” the Israeli minister wrote in another social media post.
Notably, Katz’s remarks come as Khamenei reportedly rejected US President Donald Trump’s call for an “unconditional surrender,” warning of dire consequences if the United States intervened militarily in Israel’s escalating war with Iran, according to a report published by The New York Times.
“Intelligent people who know Iran, the nation and the history of Iran, will never speak to this nation in the language of threats, because the Iranian nation cannot be surrendered,” Khamenei had reportedly said in a televised address.
“The Americans should know that any US military intervention will undoubtedly be accompanied by irreparable damage.”
Khamenei’s statement came shortly after Trump spoke about the possibility of assassinating Khamenei, although he clarified that the action is on hold “at least for now.”
Trump said the US might still consider joining the Israeli military offensive against Iran, stating, “Nobody knows what I’m going to do.”
Despite heightened tensions, both US and Iranian officials issued mixed signals regarding diplomatic engagement. Trump claimed that Iran had reached out for potential talks and reiterated that “nothing’s too late” for a nuclear agreement.
However, Iran’s UN mission rejected the possibility, reportedly saying, “No Iranian official has ever asked to grovel at the gates of the White House.”
“Iran does NOT negotiate under duress, shall NOT accept peace under duress, and certainly NOT with a has-been warmonger clinging to relevance,” the statement further said.
A senior Iranian Foreign Ministry official told the NYT on the condition of anonymity that Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi would be open to US-brokered ceasefire talks with Israel.
Meanwhile, three Iranian government and commercial aircraft were reported to be landing in Oman—a country mediating between Washington and Tehran, although the passengers remain unidentified.
Intensified Israeli airstrikes since last week have reportedly killed multiple senior Iranian military figures and nuclear scientists while targeting missile launch sites and nuclear infrastructure across Iran. Reports suggest Israeli forces hit over 50 targets in Tehran alone, including a centrifuge facility and enrichment component workshops.
Iran retaliated by launching a barrage of ballistic missiles and drones at Israel. While most were reported to be intercepted, the back-and-forth has left citizens on both sides bracing for further escalation. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the resilience of Israelis and thanked Trump for his continued support, reportedly saying, “We talk continuously, including last night. We had a very warm conversation.”
Meanwhile, the US Embassy in Jerusalem has begun facilitating the evacuation of American citizens from Israel.
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