Iran's newly appointed head is 'controlled by the Revolutionary Guards' – Netanyahu

Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister, has labelled Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran's newly appointed supreme leader, as a mere "puppet of the Revolutionary Guards", a force that has been at the forefront of Tehran's attacks.

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This characterization was made by Netanyahu during a press conference on Thursday evening, where he also stated that Khamenei is unable to appear in public.

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Netanyahu's comments came as Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of slain supreme leader Ali Khamenei, is believed to have suffered injuries in an Israeli strike that took place in Iran.

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The Israeli Prime Minister hinted at the possibility of further assassination attempts, suggesting that he would not guarantee the safety of Israel's adversaries, jokingly stating that he would not "take out life insurance" for them.

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According to Netanyahu, Israel's strikes in Iran could potentially create an environment conducive to the overthrow of the Islamic Republic's ruling system, although he emphasized that the ultimate outcome depends on the actions of the Iranian people.

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Netanyahu addressed the Iranian people, saying "The moment when you can walk out into freedom is drawing ever closer", implying that the current situation may be nearing a turning point.

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The Israeli Prime Minister reaffirmed that the primary objective of the nearly two-week-old war, launched in conjunction with the United States, is to deliver "lethal blows" to Iran's nuclear and missile programmes, while also preventing the Iranian leadership from concealing these programmes in underground facilities.

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Netanyahu also disclosed that Israel had successfully eliminated a senior nuclear scientist during the conflict, although he did not provide any further details regarding the incident.

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Earlier on Thursday, Khamenei had called for revenge for the victims of the war, in his first statement since assuming the position of supreme leader on March 8, with his comments being read out by a news anchor on state television.