❓WHAT HAPPENED: Israel accused Iran of targeting Soroka Medical Center in Be’er Sheva with a missile, part of a 50-missile barrage, in violation of international law.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and U.S. President Donald Trump.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The missile strike occurred Thursday in Be’er Sheva, Israel, with further strikes reported in Tel Aviv and Holon.
💬KEY QUOTE: “A dictator like Khamenei, who heads a country like Iran and has made the destruction of the State of Israel his declared goal, cannot be allowed to continue… without question this man should no longer continue to exist,” said Defense Minister Katz.
🎯IMPACT: Israel’s retaliation against Iran could include a direct attempt on the Iranian Supreme Leader’s life.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz likened Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, to Adolf Hitler following a missile strike on Soroka Medical Center in Be’er Sheva, suggesting the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will now move to “eliminate” the Grand Ayatollah. Iran’s attack, part of a barrage of approximately 50 missiles, fortunately caused minimal injuries, as the building had been evacuated the day prior.
“A dictator like Khamenei, who heads a country like Iran and has made the destruction of the State of Israel his declared goal, this horrific goal of destroying Israel, cannot be allowed to continue or materialize,” Defense Minister Katz said following the missile strike.
“I compare it to the scenario in which, during the horrific Holocaust, if the State of Israel had existed and a strong Israel Defense Forces had existed, and we knew we could send the IDF into a bunker to capture the enemy of the Jewish people, Hitler, in order to thwart his plan to annihilate the Jews, we would have done it,” he continued. “We would have sent the IDF, extracted him, and eliminated him. And just like that, correspondingly, I see the current situation—Khamenei is the modern Hitler.”
Pressed directly on whether eliminating the Iranian Supreme Leader is a war objective, Katz stated, “The objectives of the war are to remove the nuclear threat, eliminate sources of destruction, and neutralize missile threats. Within this framework, the IDF has been instructed and knows that to achieve all the objectives, without question, this man should no longer continue to exist.”
Iranian missiles also hit areas in Tel Aviv and Holon, resulting in several injuries. However, the targeting of the hospital, a facility serving both Jews and Arabs, was described as a “red line” by Israel’s Health Minister Uriel Busso, who emphasized the importance of preparation in preventing casualties.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also issued a stern warning to Iran, stating on X, “We will exact the full price from the tyrants in Tehran.”
Previously, Israel has eliminated a number of senior leaders in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and regular military, with reports that President Donald J. Trump had dissuaded them from assassinating the Ayatollah. However, the strike on Soroka Medical Center appears to have reopened this possibility.
⚠️RAW FOOTAGE:
This hospital was one of Iran’s targets this morning. pic.twitter.com/urqFxa6P2e— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) June 19, 2025
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