Netanyahu claims Israeli attacks killed Iranian intelligence chief

1. Netanyahu claims Israeli attacks killed Iranian intelligence chief

Netanyahu claims Israeli attacks killed Iranian intelligence chief ByHT News Desk Jun 16, 2025 02:26 AM IST Share Via Copy Link Iran’s health ministry stated on Sunday that 224 people have been killed since Israel’s attack began Friday

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday stated that Israeli attacks on Iran had killed intelligence chief Mohammed Kazemi as conflict escalates between the two countries.

Israeli PM Netanyahu claimed that Israeli attacks had killed Iran's intelligence chief(AFP)

In an interview with Fox News, Netanyahu said, "Moments ago, we also got the chief intelligence officer and his deputy in Tehran." 

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He added, “Our brave pilots are over the skies of Tehran, and we're targeting military sites, nuclear sites.”

Iran’s health ministry stated on Sunday that 224 people have been killed since Israel’s attack began Friday. Israel claimed 14 people have been killed there since Friday and 390 others wounded.

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"We've destroyed the main facility in Natanz. That's the main enrichment facility," Netanyahu said.

During the interview, the Israeli PM also said that he had given instructions to advance negotiations for the release of hostages in Gaza as he “sensed an opening.”

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Israel launched "Operation Rising Lion" with a surprise attack on Friday morning that wiped out several of Iran's military command and damaged its nuclear sites.

Netanyahu has said earlier that the campaign will continue to escalate in coming days. Iran has vowed to "open the gates of hell" in retaliation with "Operation Honest Promise 3".

Israel's military has said the current goal of the campaign is not a change in regime, but the dismantling of Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

"We're geared to do whatever is necessary to achieve our dual aim, to remove ... two existential threats - the nuclear threat and the ballistic missile threat," Netanyahu said.

He added, “We did act - to save ourselves, but also, I think, to not only protect ourselves, but protect the world from this incendiary regime. We can't have the world's most dangerous regime have the world's most dangerous weapons.”