Israel-Iran Tensions Escalate Amid Hospital Strike Controversy

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz provoked international indignation on June 19, 2025, when he called Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei a "modern Hitler" and said he "cannot continue to exist." Following an Iranian missile strike that reportedly damaged Soroka Hospital in Beersheba and injured dozens, the provocative statement was made. Iran has denounced Katz's rhetoric as a dangerous escalation and an attempt to divert attention away from Israel's own aggressive actions by claiming that Khamenei personally ordered attacks on civilian targets.

Israel's Defence Minister, "Israel Katz"

Iran’s Foreign Ministry swiftly denounced Katz’s remarks as “reckless war-mongering”, asserting that Israel’s June 13 airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities provoked the retaliatory missile launches. Iranian officials claim their response targeted military sites, not civilians, and argue the hospital damage was unintended, caused by Israel’s interception of debris. Khamenei, in a post on X, vowed Iran would “never surrender” to Israeli aggression, framing the conflict as a defence against decades of Israeli hostility. Katz’s call for Khamenei’s elimination, likened to a hypothetical IDF operation against Hitler, has drawn criticism for inflaming tensions. Reports suggest former U.S. President Donald Trump recently vetoed an Israeli plan to assassinate Khamenei, highlighting U.S. concerns over such actions triggering a broader war.

Supreme Leader of Iran, "Ali Hosseini Khamenei"

In order to defend its increased attacks on Iran's strategic locations, such as the Arak reactor, which Tehran maintains is for peaceful research, Iranian analysts contend that Israel's narrative exaggerates civilian targeting. Iran claims that Israel has violated its sovereignty and upholds its right to self-defence under international law as the missile exchanges continue. Iran is calling on world powers to curb Israel's "state terrorism," and the conflict, which is currently in its seventh day, has resulted in the displacement of civilians on both sides. Iran presents itself as a strong country fending off imperialist aggression, with Khamenei representing its defiance, while Israel asserts that its campaign seeks to neutralise Iran's nuclear and missile capabilities.