In the Next War, Khamenei Must Be Eliminated: Former Israeli Defense Minister Gallant

Darwin, September 1 — Israel must be prepared for renewed conflict with Iran, and in the next operation, the elimination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei must be a strategic priority, former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has stated in an interview.

According to a report by UK-based Persian news outlet Iran International, Gallant made the remarks on Saturday during an appearance on Israel’s Channel 12 program Meet the Press, referencing the 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran that concluded two months ago.

“Although we were unable to eliminate Khamenei in the last round, if Iran initiates another attack against us, then his elimination must absolutely be part of Israel’s military objectives,” Gallant asserted.

He warned that Iran is likely to rebuild some of its military strength, particularly its ballistic missile arsenal, and therefore Israel must be ready for a different kind of war.

In June, Israel launched a 12-day air campaign targeting Iranian nuclear facilities, top military officials, and prominent scientists. According to the Israeli military, a significant portion of Iran’s air defense systems was destroyed, and its missile capabilities were severely damaged.

Gallant added, “What isn’t often discussed is how deeply our intelligence operations have penetrated Iran. The Iranians have no idea how much we actually know.”

During the conflict, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former U.S. President Donald Trump both publicly raised the possibility of targeting Khamenei. Trump even hinted at the prospect of regime change in Iran.

In a post on Truth Social at the end of June, Trump wrote:
“The term ‘regime change’ may not be politically correct. But if the current Iranian regime can’t make Iran great again, then why not??? MIGA (Make Iran Great Again)!!!”

Meanwhile, after a three-week absence from public view, Ayatollah Khamenei recently reappeared and reiterated his hardline stance.

In a speech last week, he declared, “Today, our enemy—the Zionist regime—is the most hated government in the world.” He also claimed that adversaries had underestimated Iran’s internal stability and mistakenly believed that public support would wane in the face of attacks, which, he insisted, did not happen.