On June 14, 2025, a senior Israeli official made a sensational statement in an interview with The Wall Street Journal, reporting that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei “is not off the list of targets” for IDF strikes. According to him, the Israeli campaign, launched in response to Iranian missile attacks, goes beyond the destruction of nuclear infrastructure and is aimed at undermining the political and military stability of the Iranian regime. This statement, published in a leading American publication, increased tensions in the already heated conflict between Israel and Iran, threatening to take it to a new phase.

According to Reuters, Israel has carried out a series of strikes on key Iranian sites over the past two days, including the Natanz nuclear complex, the Shahran oil depot, and IRGC depots in Isfahan. MAXAR satellite images published by the BBC confirm the near-total destruction of Natanz's above-ground infrastructure, although underground centrifuges are likely to remain partially functional. Iran responded with massive rocket attacks on Haifa and Tel Aviv, firing more than 300 missiles, including Emad and Khyber Shakan. According to the Times of Israel, a woman was killed in Bat Yam in Israel, and the number of casualties exceeded 200. Israel's air defenses intercepted about 65% of the rockets, but the destruction in residential areas sparked protests against the Netanyahu government.

The announcement of a possible strike on Khamenei has caused a strong reaction in Iran. Iran's Fars news agency quoted an IRGC spokesman as calling the Israeli official's words "a desperate attempt by the Zionist regime to divert attention from its failures." Tehran has vowed to "destroy key Israeli facilities" if its leader is attacked. According to Al Jazeera, Iran has already begun moving additional missile systems to its western provinces, while the Houthis in Yemen have announced their readiness to attack Israeli ports in the Red Sea.