Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a direct address to the Iranian people on Tuesday evening from the Air Force command center at the Kirya in Tel Aviv, marking the Persian New Year, Nowruz.
In a statement combining symbolic messaging and military signaling, he said Israeli operations aim to allow Iranians to celebrate the holiday “in complete freedom.”
Speaking alongside Defense Minister, IDF Chief of Staff, Mossad Director, and Air Force Commander, Netanyahu highlighted recent operations against Iran’s security apparatus. “In the past 24 hours, we have eliminated two of the main terrorist leaders of this regime,” he said, referring to targeted strikes on key figures.
Netanyahu stressed that the IDF’s targets are “terrorist agents on the ground, at crossroads and in public squares,” framing the operations as efforts to weaken the regime while creating space for the Iranian population to express itself.
Addressing Iranians directly, Netanyahu also invoked the Nowruz tradition of the Festival of Fire: “So celebrate, and happy Nowruz. We are watching you from the skies,” he said, blending a message of support with a display of military presence.