Thu Jun 19 10:25:23 UTC 2025: ## News Article: Israeli Defense Minister Calls for Elimination of Iranian Supreme Leader After Hospital Strike

**Tel Aviv, Israel** – Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has issued a stark warning to Iran following a missile strike that hit a hospital near Tel Aviv, injuring at least 47 people. Katz stated that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei “can no longer be allowed to exist” and will be held accountable for the attack.

In a post on X, Katz accused Khamenei of committing “war crimes of the most serious kind,” asserting that the Iranian leader “sits in the depths of a fortified bunker and fires missiles at hospitals and residential buildings in Israel.” He further indicated that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) would take all necessary measures to eliminate Khamenei.

Katz also announced that he and the Prime Minister have instructed the IDF to “increase the intensity of attacks against strategic targets in Iran and against government targets in Tehran in order to remove threats to Israel and undermine the Ayatollah’s regime.”

The missile strike comes amid escalating tensions between Israel and Iran. Israel has intensified its military campaign against Iran, reportedly conducting airstrikes that have targeted senior Iranian military figures, nuclear scientists, and nuclear infrastructure across the country, including over 50 targets in Tehran alone, according to reports.

Iran, however, claims that the hospital was not the intended target. According to Iran’s state news agency IRNA, the missile was aimed at the Israeli Army Command and Intelligence Base (IDF C4I) and the Army Intelligence Camp in Gav-Yam Technology Park, located near the Soroka Hospital. IRNA claims the hospital was only affected by the blast wave and that the military facility was the “direct and precise target.”

Meanwhile, Ayatollah Khamenei rejected a call for unconditional surrender from US President Donald Trump, warning of “irreparable damage” should the US intervene militarily in the conflict. In a televised address, Khamenei stated, “The Americans should know that any US military intervention will undoubtedly be accompanied by irreparable damage.” The New York Times reported on Khamenei’s remarks. The conflict continues to escalate, raising concerns about regional stability.

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