The head of the Israeli Defense Ministry called the killing of Khamenei part of Israel's goals.

Israel can no longer allow Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to exist after Jerusalem accused Tehran of firing a rocket at the Soroka hospital. This was reported on June 19 by The Times of Israel newspaper with reference to the country's Defense Minister Israel Katz.

"Khamenei openly declares that he wants to destroy Israel — he personally gives the order to shoot at hospitals. He considers the destruction of the State of Israel to be his goal," Katz said.

According to him, a person like the supreme leader of the Islamic Republic should no longer be allowed to exist.

"Its destruction is now part of Israel's strategic goals," Katz stressed.

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On June 15, The Wall Street Journal reported that Israel does not rule out the possibility of eliminating Khamenei. An Israeli official said the Ayatollah was "not an inviolable" target for Israeli strikes.