The True Post (Web News)In a dangerously escalatory move, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant has issued a direct threat to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, warning that Israel will not hesitate to strike at the very top of Iran’s leadership if Tehran continues what Israel alleges are hostile activities in the region.
The unprecedented statement was made during a high-level security briefing, where Gallant accused Iran of orchestrating attacks on Israeli interests through regional proxies, including Hezbollah in Lebanon and various militant groups in Syria and Iraq.
Gallant said, “If Iran continues to fund, arm, and direct terrorist operations against the State of Israel, then Khamenei himself will not be immune. We know where decisions are made and who makes them.”
This bold declaration has sent shockwaves across the international community, with analysts warning that such rhetoric could trigger a wider military confrontation in the already volatile Middle East. Israel has frequently carried out covert and overt operations against Iranian assets and personnel in the past, but this is the first time a senior Israeli official has openly threatened Iran’s top political and religious authority.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry condemned the remarks, calling them “an open admission of state terrorism” and vowed a strong response if any harm comes to its leadership. “The Islamic Republic will respond decisively and without hesitation,” said ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani.
Observers say Gallant’s threat marks a significant escalation in the ongoing shadow war between Israel and Iran, which has involved cyberattacks, assassinations, airstrikes, and sabotage over the past decade.
International powers, including the United Nations and European Union, have called for restraint and dialogue, warning that such provocations could spiral into a regional war with catastrophic consequences.
Tensions between the two nations have intensified in recent months, particularly following Israel’s continued military operations in Gaza and Iranian support for resistance factions. With nuclear negotiations stalled and regional instability growing, Gallant’s latest statement has only deepened the geopolitical fault lines in the Middle East.