Israeli Ambassador Michael Leiter has called for an internal Iranian uprising to topple the Islamic Republic, asserting that the ongoing military conflict will only conclude when Tehran no longer poses a regional threat.
Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Michael Leiter stated Sunday that the current war with Iran will only end when there is “not an entity in Tehran that’s going to threaten the region,” specifically calling for the Iranian people to mobilize and overthrow the regime. Speaking on CNN’s State of the Union, Leiter emphasized that while “boots on the ground” are necessary, “they have got to be Iranian boots,” referencing a hope for a domestic uprising despite the Iranian government’s previous “brutal” suppression of protesters that reportedly left thousands dead.
The conflict, now approaching its one-month mark, saw a significant escalation on Saturday with an Israeli strike on a nuclear site in Natanz followed by Iranian missile retaliations against Arad and Dimona, which resulted in 180 hospitalizations. Vowing to continue the campaign until the regime is brought “to its knees,” Leiter maintained that Israel “cannot live anymore with a country that is malign, that has intent on destroying us,” as civilian casualties continue to mount on both sides.
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