By David Akinadewo-Adekahunsi

Israel on Wednesday warned that whoever emerges as Iran’s new Supreme Leader would be considered “a target for elimination,” escalating tensions between the two Middle Eastern rivals.

Israeli Defence Minister, Israel Katz, said in a statement that “any leader” appointed by the Iranian regime would be “an unequivocal target for elimination.”

He added that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had directed the Israel Defence Forces to “prepare and utilise all means to execute this mission.”

The threat followed reports by Iranian local media that Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the late Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, had been named to succeed him.

The development is yet to be formally confirmed by Iranian authorities.

Tensions further intensified after Israel on Tuesday reportedly struck a building linked to Iran’s Assembly of Experts, the constitutional body responsible for electing and supervising the Supreme Leader.

The latest exchange of threats signals a deepening confrontation between the two countries, whose long-running shadow conflict has increasingly spilled into direct military actions and rhetoric in recent months.