Israel says it has destroyed Iran's internal security HQ
Israel's military destroyed the headquarters of Iran's domestic policing arm, expanding its blows beyond Tehran's military and nuclear facilities as it continues to bombard its Middle East rival, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Wednesday.
"Air Force planes have just destroyed the headquarters of the Iranian regime's internal security — the central suppression arm of the Iranian dictator," Katz wrote Wednesday in a post on social platform X, according to translation.
"As we promised — we will continue to target symbols of power and strike the ayatollahs' regime everywhere," he continued. "The tornado storm continues to strike Tehran."
Iran's internal security operations include the country's massive Basij Resistance Force, which polices dissent in the country.
The latest target comes days after Israel launched a surprise attack on Iranian nuclear facilities and military outposts, killing several officials and scientists and setting off retaliatory attacks from Tehran.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has argued that his country's strikes are crucial to ending a nuclear threat from the Islamic republic, which has long maintained that its uranium enrichment program is meant for civilian purposes.
President Trump has meanwhile edged closer toward U.S. intervention in the military conflict to back up Israel.
“I may do it, I may not do it. I mean, nobody knows what I’m going to do," he told reporters Wednesday. "I can tell you this, that Iran’s got a lot of trouble."
"And they want to negotiate," the president added, referring to talks with the U.S. to dismantle its nuclear program. "And I say why didn’t you negotiate with me before all this death and destruction."
Despite increasing pressure on Iran amid the conflict, Trump has thus far pushed back on plans to target Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei directly.
The president said Tuesday Khamenei would be an “easy target” but that there are no plans in the works to take him out — “at least right now.”
Iran on Wednesday cautioned the U.S. against intervening, with the supreme leader saying it could lead to an "all-out war" and pledging to "never surrender."