Israeli Defence Minister Katz Condemning Soroka Hospital Attack, Says 'Khamenei Can't Continue To Exist'

Israel's defence minister publicly threatened to kill Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Thursday after the latest missile attack from Iran damaged a major hospital and hit several residential buildings near Tel Aviv. Minister Israel Katz said that the Israeli military has been instructed as reports quoted him saying "this man absolutely should not continue to exist."

At least 40 people were wounded in the attacks, according to Israel's Magen David Adom rescue service.

Black smoke rose from the Soroka Medical Center in the southern city of Beersheba as emergency teams evacuated patients. There were no serious injuries in the strike on the hospital.

Also Read | Iranian Missile Hits Hospital In Southern Israel

What Did Israel Katz Say About Targeting Khamenei?

In the aftermath of the strikes, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz blamed Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and said the military "has been instructed and knows that in order to achieve all of its goals, this man absolutely should not continue to exist."

바카라�A dictator like Khamenei, who heads a country like Iran and has made the destruction of Israel his mission, cannot continue to exist,바카라� Israeli defence minister Katz said.

바카라�The IDF has been instructed and knows that in order to achieve all of its goals, this man absolutely should not continue to exist,바카라� he added.

US officials said this week that President Donald Trump had vetoed an Israeli plan to kill Khamenei.

Trump later said there were no plans to kill him "at least not for now."

"We know exactly where the so-called 'Supreme Leader' is hiding. He is an easy target, but is safe there We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now. But we don't want missiles shot at civilians, or American soldiers. Our patience is wearing thin. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" Trump said.

Also Read | What Are The Sejjil Missiles Iran Uses?

Soon after Katz's comments came in, Khamenei posted on X, "The very fact that the Zionist regime바카라�s American friends have entered the scene and are saying such things is a sign of that regime바카라�s weakness and inability."

He also wrote, 바카라�I would like to tell our dear nation that if the enemy senses that you fear them, they won바카라�t let go of you. Continue the very behavior that you have had up to this day; continue this behavior with strength."

Iran-Israel Conflict So Far

Israel, meanwhile, carried out strikes on Iran's Arak heavy water reactor, in its latest attack on the country's sprawling nuclear program, on the seventh day of a conflict that began with a surprise wave of Israeli airstrikes targeting military sites, senior officers and nuclear scientists.

A Washington-based Iranian human rights group said at least 639 people, including 263 civilians, have been killed in Iran and more than 1,300 wounded. In retaliation, Iran has fired some 400 missiles and hundreds of drones, killing at least 24 people in Israel and wounding hundreds.

An Iranian missile hit a hospital in southern Israel and the medical facility had to be closed to all patients except for life-threatening cases, reportedly. The Soroka Medical Center has over 1,000 beds and provides services to around 1 million residents of Israel's south.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the strike on the hospital and vowed a response, saying: "We will exact the full price from the tyrants in Tehran."

Iran has fired hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel, though most have been shot down by Israel's multi-tiered air defenses, which detect incoming fire and shoot down missiles heading toward population centers and critical infrastructure. Israeli officials acknowledge it is imperfect.

Meanwhile, Israel's military said its fighter jets targeted the Arak facility and its reactor core seal to halt it from being used to produce plutonium.

"The strike targeted the component intended for plutonium production, in order to prevent the reactor from being restored and used for nuclear weapons development," the military said.

Israel separately claimed to have struck another site around Natanz it described as being related to Iran's nuclear program.

Iranian state TV said there was "no radiation danger whatsoever" from the attack on the Arak site. An Iranian state television reporter, speaking live in the nearby town of Khondab, said the facility had been evacuated and there was no damage to civilian areas around the reactor.

Israel had warned earlier Thursday morning it would attack the facility and urged the public to flee the area.

Iran has rejected calls to surrender or end its nuclear programme as they have long maintained it is used for peaceful purposes. However, AP reported that it also enriches uranium up to 60 per cent, a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90 per cent. Iran is the only non-nuclear-weapon state to enrich at that level.

Israel is the only nuclear-armed state in the Middle East but does not acknowledge having such weapons.