Alerts

Israel Must Act to Topple the Ayatollah’s Regime in Iran

Security officials warn against Israel being dragged into a prolonged war of attrition with Iran, arguing that Israel must shorten the campaign by eliminating the Iranian leadership and striking strategic targets that could lead to the regime’s collapse.
Share this
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a televised speech, Friday, June 13, 2025
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in a televised speech, Friday, June 13, 2025. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader)

Table of Contents

According to assessments by Israeli political sources and officials in the Trump administration, the current confrontation between Israel and Iran is expected to last several weeks.

The ultimate goal for both Israel and the United States is to return to negotiations over a new nuclear agreement that would eliminate the Iranian nuclear threat.

However, senior security officials believe that despite Israel’s successes in the early days of the war, it must avoid being drawn into a long war of attrition.

“Iran will not wave a white flag,” they say. “Israel must shift its strategy and aim to bring down the extremist Iranian regime.”

Iran was caught off guard and suffered a severe military and moral blow, but it remains a strong regional power with a jihadi ideology. The regime’s top priority is survival.

Iran still has a significant stockpile of ballistic missiles and drones and could adopt a strategy of “drip attacks” to wear Israel down over time, striking at its home front and economy.

Therefore, the officials stress, Israel must act swiftly to end the military campaign by eliminating Iran’s leadership and hitting strategic assets that could destabilize the regime.

A senior Israeli defense source said, “No immunity should be granted to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, the head of the Iranian terror snake and the man actively seeking to destroy the State of Israel.

Even Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman referred to him in 2019 as ‘the Hitler of the Middle East.’ Khamenei attempted to assassinate Prime Minister Netanyahu via Hezbollah, and he must be eliminated.”

Senior officials emphasize that Iran is now behaving like a wounded animal and is extremely dangerous.

Since Israel would struggle to fully destroy Iran’s nuclear program without U.S. military assistance, it must use all capabilities at its disposal.

The core lesson from the October 7, 2023, massacre is that Israel must neutralize the “Axis of Evil” led by Iran and prevent it from recovering and obtaining nuclear weapons.

Israel must capitalize on the historic American backing from President Trump. This is a one-time opportunity, and Israel should pursue it to the fullest.

From Israel’s perspective, every action is legitimate: the elimination of Khamenei and his leadership circle, crippling Iran’s oil industry and power stations, and the destruction of Iranian banks and cash reserves.

According to Israeli intelligence assessments, the majority of Iranians wish to see the fall of their oppressive regime.

Israel has changed the rules of engagement with Iran, seizing the initiative and launching an impressive demonstration of military and intelligence capabilities. But it must finish the job and exhaust every means to bring down the Ayatollah’s regime.

Israel should avoid harming innocent Iranian civilians as much as possible in order not to unite them around the regime. Instead, it must aim to create significant cracks in the regime’s foundation that will encourage the Iranian public to rise up and try to overthrow it.

“Iran will never give up its nuclear project—it’s one of the regime’s core pillars of survival. Therefore, while Israel continues to target this project, even if it cannot fully destroy it, it must simultaneously strike at the regime’s leadership. Israel has excellent intelligence and has already proven in the opening round that it can decapitate Iran’s entire military command. Now is the time to move on to eliminating the political leadership,” said a senior defense source.

Yoni Ben Menachem

Yoni Ben Menachem, a veteran Arab affairs and diplomatic commentator for Israel Radio and Television, is a senior Middle East analyst for the Jerusalem Center. He served as Director General and Chief Editor of the Israel Broadcasting Authority.
Share this

Invest in JCFA

Subscribe to Daily Alert

The Daily Alert – Israel news digest appears every Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday.

Related Items

Stay Informed, Always

Get the latest news, insights, and updates directly in your inbox—be the first to know!

Subscribe to Jerusalem Issue Briefs
The Daily Alert – Israel news digest appears every Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday.

Notifications

The Jerusalem Center
The Gaza Flotilla Is a Fraud

Far from a humanitarian mission, the latest 70-vessel spectacle on its way to Gaza from Italy is a costly act of political theater @FiammaNirenste1 @JNS_org

11:28am
The Jerusalem Center
The Assassination of Abu Obeida – Why Is Hamas Remaining Silent?

Senior Israeli security officials note that such silence is not new; Hamas often delays its statements following targeted Israeli assassinations, raising questions whether this stems from attempts to verify the information or from a deliberate strategy of ambiguity https://x.com/jerusalemcenter

11:25am
The Jerusalem Center
The Impact of Radical Legal Ideology: From the Classroom to the International Forum

Massive funding of Critical Legal Studies-style academic and extracurricular programs promotes anti-Western ideas and undermines international community institutions and legal conventions https://x.com/jerusalemcenter

11:23am
The Jerusalem Center
Western Countries Focus on Iran Technicalities, Ignore Ideological Bent

The West must look beyond nuclear “offsides” and confront the core issue: a regime in decline, anchored to a dying leader, ruling over a weary population hungry for change x.com/jerusalemcenter

11:19am
The Jerusalem Center
Israel, Gaza, and the Race Against Time

The Trump proposal to create a 10-year trusteeship levels the playing field and provides an opportunity for the Egyptians to open its border with Gaza @Dan_Diker

11:15am
The Jerusalem Center
Canada investigating Israeli-Canadian IDF soldiers?
JCFA senior researcher, Amb. Alan Baker slams the probe as a “political PR stunt with no legal basis.” “This isn’t justice—it’s a betrayal. Canada is siding with PLO propaganda over facts.”
11:29am
The Jerusalem Center
What makes a child believe killing a #Jew is justified?

In PA textbooks, Jews are called liars and frauds; their fate: elimination. This is #indoctrination—not #education. But change is happening. On East to West, @IMPACT_SE CEO Marcus Sheff exposes how #UNRWA-funded schools are fueling extremism—and what real reform looks like.  Listen now on Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/2JHqh973U  Watch on YouTube: youtu.be/8OkJTGNfVUc

11:43am
The Jerusalem Center
Highlights from the @Jerusalem_Post Annual Conference in NYC:

Dr. @Dan_Diker, President of the JCFA: “October 7 wasn’t just an attack on Israel — it was a blow to the U.S. on Israeli soil. It demands moral clarity and a united front between Israel and the U.S. to defeat jihadist terror.”

2:20pm
The Jerusalem Center
@XAVIAERD says it like it is

Well, @XAVIAERD says it like it is: If you’re part of “#Queers for #Palestine,” he’ll pay for your flight to #Gaza. Go see for yourself how they treat LGBTQ+ people over there. Don’t miss this bold take on the Israel-Hamas war and the woke right.

2:32pm
The Jerusalem Center
“This isn’t Israel vs. Hamas — it’s the frontline of the free world.”

“This isn’t Israel vs. Hamas — it’s the frontline of the free world.” On Our Middle East by @JNS_org, @Dan_Diker@KhaledAbuToameh (JCFA/@GatestoneInst) break it down: If Hamas isn’t crushed, Iran wins. The jihadis—from #Gaza to your campus—get the green light. Diker: “This war is for the West.” No fluff. No filters. Just raw insight from two insiders who actually know what’s going on.  Watch: youtu.be/4Aq_zcbb4Yo

2:15pm
The Jerusalem Center
5/5 Lt. Col. Kalo on East to West with @smartinezamir:

“This operation showcases Israel’s strategic intelligence superiority both regionally and globally. It demonstrates the moral commitment to recovered soldiers and also strengthens Israel’s position with allies.” youtube.com/watch?v=nIvNNi

2:07pm
The Jerusalem Center
4/5 The operation built on intelligence gathered during the 2019 #Baumel recovery

#Mossad agents operated under cover in #Syria for years, visiting a graveyard multiple times under fire to collect remains for DNA matching. The intelligence community’s evolution combines technology, big data analysis, and human intelligence capabilities.

2:02pm

Close