Israel Katz, Israel’s defense minister, said that any Iranian leader chosen to succeed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei would be considered a target for assassination if they continue policies aimed at Israel’s destruction or regional aggression.

Katz made the statement in a post on X, declaring that any future leader of Iran who: Continues threats against Israel, threatens the United States, pursues regional destabilization, suppresses the Iranian population would be targeted “no matter his name or where he hides.”

The remarks followed reports that Khamenei was killed in joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Tehran.