Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday issued a veiled threat to kill Iran's new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei even as he acknowledged that Israel's joint air war with the US ⁠may not lead to a collapse of Tehran's clerical government.

Holding his first press conference since the start of the war, the Israeli leader said that Iran was "no longer the same" after nearly two weeks of bombardment and that Tehran had suffered blows to its elite Revolutionary Guards Corps and Basij paramilitary force.

He vowed to keep hitting Lebanon's Hezbollah after the Iran-backed group opened fire on March 2 to avenge Israel's killing of Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei – Mojtaba Khamenei's ⁠father – at the start of the war.

Standing between two Israeli ⁠flags and taking questions over video ⁠link, Netanyahu was asked what actions Israel might take against Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei and Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem:

"I wouldn't issue life insurance policies on ⁠any of the leaders of the terrorist organisation ... I don't intend to provide an exact report here about what we are planning or what we are going to do."

As Netanyahu spoke, sirens warning of incoming missile fire from Iran blared across much of central Israel.

Israel ⁠has said the aim of its assault on Iran is to eliminate what it views as the existential threat posed by Tehran's nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.

Asked whether Israel ⁠was arming opponents of Iran's rulers and whether it might fail to achieve a collapse of government, Netanyahu said that even if the government did not fall, it would remain weak.

"I will not detail the actions we are taking. We are creating the optimal conditions for toppling the regime but I won't deny that I can't tell you with all certainty that the people of Iran will topple ⁠the regime – a regime is toppled from the inside," Netanyahu said.

"But we can definitely help and we are helping."

Meanwhile, Israel renewed its strikes on Beirut on Thursday, with Netanyahu warning that if the Lebanese government did not disarm Hezbollah, Israel would do the job "on the ground".

"You are playing with fire," Benjamin Netanyahu said to Lebanese authorities during his press conference, as Israeli jets carried out three strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs – two without prior warning – according to the state-run National News Agency (NNA).

Referring to the Lebanese government's stated commitment to disarm the Iran-backed group, the premier added "if you do not do so, it is clear that we will".

"How will we do it? On the ground. With ground forces and other things," he said.

Earlier on Thursday the Israeli military had announced "a wave of strikes targeting Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure across Beirut", with video footage showing dark smoke rising into the sky above two districts in the heart of the city.

One of the strikes hit a building in Bashoura, adjacent to Beirut's commercial centre, where many large companies and government institutions are based.

An Israeli army spokesperson accused Hezbollah of "hiding... millions of dollars" under the building.

That was followed by another attack on a Beirut branch of the Hezbollah-linked financial firm Al Qard Al Hassan in the downtown neighbourhood of Zoukak El-Blat.

"I address you today while Beirut is being bombed, as are its suburbs, our south, and our Bekaa," Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said in a speech to the nation.

"It is a war we did not want; on the contrary, we are working day and night to bring it to an end."

Later on Thursday, Israel's military said it had struck several Hezbollah command posts in a new wave of strikes targeting Beirut and southern Lebanon.

The violence has killed more than 687 people in Lebanon, according to national authorities, while more than 800,000 people have registered as displaced. (Agencies)



Edited by Cecil Wong