The Israeli military destroyed Iran’s internal security headquarters overnight in a strike.
The command center was a significant target for Israel, which is seeking to decimate Iranian military and law enforcement authorities and generate domestic unrest.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz boasted of the bombing on social media Wednesday, comparing it to “a tornado [passing] over Tehran.”
Internal security forces have previously played a significant role in suppressing opposition against Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s regime.
Katz characterized the command center’s destruction and similar successful bombings of Iranian government institutions as blows to the stability of the Khamenei government.
“Symbols of government are bombed and destroyed – from the Broadcasting Authority and soon other targets, and masses of residents are fleeing,” Katz said. “This is how dictatorships collapse.”
The Israeli military has also struck facilities belonging to similar agencies responsible for putting down demonstrations against the regime, including the Ministry of Intelligence and Security and Law Enforcement Command.
“Disruption to institutions … could degrade the regime’s ability to maintain internal security and social control,” according to the Institute for the Study of War‘s Sunday report on the conflict.
Even the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting was attacked — a targeted strike against the state media outlet that was captured during a live video recording.
It is all part of Israel’s larger plan to generate a regime change in Iran and overthrow the postrevolution Islamic Republic.
This mindset is captured in the name of its opening strikes against Tehran. Operation “Rising Lion” is a reference to the Lion and Sun symbol of the imperial-era state.
Khamenei remains alive despite both Israel and the United States claiming to know his location and have the capability to assassinate the leader.
President Donald Trump reportedly vetoed an Israeli plan to kill the supreme leader last week but now says his patience is “wearing thin.”
KHAMENEI REJECTS TRUMP’S CALL FOR SURRENDER, ISSUES WARNING IF US INTERVENES
“We know exactly where the so-called ‘Supreme Leader’ is hiding,” Trump wrote Tuesday on social media. “He is an easy target, but is safe there — We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now.”
Khamenei has rebuked all demands for his government to surrender, promising to respond to any hypothetical strike by the U.S. with proportional violence.