‘Puppet Of Iran Revolutionary Guards’: Netanyahu Says Mojtaba Khamenei Can’t Show Face In Public

Last Updated:March 13, 2026, 07:34 IST

Netanyahu also said top Iranian nuclear scientists were killed in Israeli strikes during the ongoing conflict.

Iran War Updates: As the West Asia conflict entered its 14th day on Friday, Benjamin Netanyahu branded Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, a “puppet of the Revolutionary Guards" who cannot appear in public.

Speaking at a televised press conference, Netanyahu said Khamenei “can’t show his face in public" after Tehran issued a statement in his name that was read out by a television presenter.

“We eliminated the old tyrant, and the new tyrant, the puppet of the Revolutionary Guards, can’t show his face in public," Netanyahu said.

Israeli strikes kill Iranian scientists

Netanyahu also said top Iranian nuclear scientists were killed in Israeli strikes during the conflict.

His remarks came hours after Iranian state television aired a statement attributed to Khamenei. The new supreme leader has not appeared publicly since being selected for the position and is said to have been injured at the start of the war.

Netanyahu’s message to Iranian people

During the briefing, Netanyahu addressed the Iranian people and said the moment for a “new path of freedom" was approaching.

He said Israel stood with the Iranian public but added that change ultimately depended on them. “But at the end of the day, it depends on you. It is in your hands," he said.

Netanyahu said Israel had three objectives in the war. These include preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons and destroying its ballistic missile capabilities.

He added that another goal was to create conditions for the Iranian people to bring down the country’s clerical leadership.

Warning to Lebanon over Hezbollah

Netanyahu also warned the Lebanese government to disarm Hezbollah.

“I told the Lebanese government a few days ago: you are playing with fire if you continue allowing Hezbollah to operate," he said.

He added that if Beirut did not act, Israel would move to disarm the group “on the ground".

Iran warns Israel of striking oil and gas units

Meanwhile, Iran warned that it would target the region’s oil and gas industry if its own energy infrastructure was attacked.

A spokesman for Iran’s military central operational command, Khatam al-Anbiya, said the region’s oil and gas sector would be set “on fire" if Iranian facilities were targeted.

Iran vows to continue fighting

Iranian security chief Ali Larijani said the country would continue fighting until the United States regretted launching the war.

He also criticised Donald Trump, saying that while starting a war was easy, it could not be won with “a few tweets".

Larijani said Iran would not relent until the United States was made to regret what he called a “grave miscalculation".

News world ‘Puppet Of Iran Revolutionary Guards’: Netanyahu Says Mojtaba Khamenei Can’t Show Face In Public

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