Netanyahu says Israeli attacks pave way for Iran regime change

Israel's military campaign against Iran is giving its people a chance to topple the Islamic Republic, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Iran International, adding that the ruling system's days were numbered.

"A light has been lit—carry it to freedom,” Netanyahu told Iran International's anchor Pouria Zeraati on Monday.

“This is the time,” he said. “Your hour of freedom is near—it’s happening now.”

Netanyahu cast the Islamic Republic as an enduring threat to Israel through its nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

“The tyrants of Tehran basically planned two weapons of mass death to exterminate Israel,” he said. “One is to rush forward with their nuclear program to develop atomic bombs to destroy Israel."

"Second, they've programmed to build a vast missile, ballistic missile arsenal … Each missile carrying a one-ton payload, just slamming into our cities, killing our women, our children. They were going to build 20,000 of these,” he added.

Netanyahu framed Israel’s ongoing campaign as both a defensive war and an opportunity for the leadership in Tehran to be overthrown.

“This is evil against good, and it's time for good people to stand up with the good, the good people of Iran, and good people everywhere against this madness foisted on all of us by this radical tyranny. It's about to end,” Netanyahu said.

Israeli attacks since Friday have killed 322 people and wounded 684, according to human rights group HRANA.

'They fear us, they fear you'

The Israeli premier suggested that the Islamic Republic’s military vulnerability could also hasten its political collapse.

“These dictators in Iran, sure they fear us—but they fear you, the people of Iran, even more,” he said. “They understand that 80 percent of Iranians despise them."

Netanyahu said Israel’s precision targeting had already knocked out key parts of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and missile production capabilities.

“(We) knocked out their chief nuclear team, their nuclear sites… we're knocking out their ballistic missile production,” he said. “We still have a way to go, but we’ll finish it.”

Drawing a contrast between Israel’s military conduct and Iran’s, Netanyahu said, “You can see that by the warnings that we are sending. The forewarnings that we're sending to the people of Tehran and elsewhere.

"It is necessary in order to have the people leave the zone of conflict. That's the whole difference between a terrorist regime that deliberately targets civilians in a democracy like Israel.”

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said earlier on the day that while Israel does not aim to harm civilians, residents of Tehran must evacuate areas near government and military sites that could be targeted.

An illustrated depiction of the Tehran evacuation zone published by the Israeli military encompassed an area around 30 square kilometers, an area home to several hundred thousand people.

Netanyahu said the people of Iran had suffered under the Islamic Republic and mentioned a young woman whose death in morality police custody sparked nationwide protests in 2022.

“They've impoverished you. They've given you misery. They've given you death. They've given you terror. They shoot down your women, leaving this brave, unbelievable woman, Mahsa Amini, to bleed on the sidewalk for not covering her hair. I mean, this is an outrageous radical fanatic regime, and the time has come to defang them.”

Netanyahu said Iran could be made "great again" and that Iran's people were its future.

“I believe in you. I respect you. I admire you. I know your achievements. I know your potential. I know that Iran can be great again. It was a great civilization, and these theological thuggery that has kidnapped your country, will not stand for long, and you are the future, not them.”