In an unprecedented and severe warning, Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz likened Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to “the modern Hitler” during a visit to the missile-struck hospital in Holon, Israel. Katz stated that under Israel’s declared war objectives, Khamenei “should not continue to exist,” according to The Times of Israel.
“A dictator like Khamenei, who leads a country like Iran and has made Israel’s destruction his stated goal, cannot be allowed to continue or realise this horrific ambition,” Katz said, drawing historical parallels to the Holocaust.
Katz underscored that, unlike during the Holocaust era, Israel now possesses the Israel Defense Forces (IDF)—capable of acting decisively against threats.
“If we had possessed a state and army during the Holocaust, we would have done everything to capture and eliminate Hitler to prevent the genocide of the Jewish people. Khamenei is today’s Hitler,” he declared.
In a strongly worded post on X (formerly Twitter), Katz further called Khamenei a “cowardly dictator” hiding in fortified bunkers while ordering missile strikes on hospitals and civilian homes, which he described as “serious war crimes.”
“The Iranian dictator hides deep in bunkers and launches targeted attacks on hospitals and residential buildings in Israel. These are crimes of the most severe kind—Khamenei will be held accountable,” Katz wrote.
The Defence Minister confirmed that both he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have directed the IDF to escalate strikes against strategic and governmental targets in Tehran to remove threats against Israel and destabilize the Ayatollah regime.
“The war’s objectives include neutralizing Iran’s nuclear threat, eliminating sources of destruction, and countering missile capabilities. Within this mission, the existence of Khamenei himself is an undeniable concern,” Katz clarified when asked about potential targeted action against Khamenei.
The statement marks a sharp escalation in rhetoric and signals Israel’s intention to broaden its military campaign against Iranian leadership assets.
Meanwhile, US officials revealed this week that former President Donald Trump had vetoed an Israeli plan to assassinate Khamenei during his administration, with Trump later denying any imminent plans for such action, adding: “at least not for now.”
This development comes amid intensifying Israel-Iran hostilities, following Iran’s recent barrage of ballistic missiles and UAV attacks that struck civilian targets, including the Soroka Hospital in Beersheba—actions Israel has condemned as deliberate war crimes.
The international community is closely watching as the situation threatens to spiral into a wider regional conflict with grave geopolitical consequences.