Israeli defence minister Israel Katz issued a warning on Tuesday, June 17, that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, faces a fate similar to that of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.
Katz was reported as saying, “Remember what happened to the dictator in the neighbouring country of Iran who took this path against Israel.”
Saddam Hussein was ousted in the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq, which received popular support based on rumours of Iraq stockpiling nuclear arms in secrecy.
Although there were no such nuclear weapons found, Hussein faced accusations of committing crimes against humanity, willful killing, illegal imprisonment, deportation, and torture, and was given the death penalty by the Iraqi High Tribunal.
Saddam was killed by hanging a few days after an Iraqi court upheld his death sentence.
The kangaroo court of his conviction was set up by the regime that the US had installed in Iraq. The US rushed through his trial procedure despite calls from the international community to present Saddam before the International Criminal Court at the Hague.
“I warn the Iranian dictator against continuing to commit war crimes and launching missiles at Israeli civilians,” Katz reportedly added. “We will continue today as well to act against regime and military targets in Tehran,” Katz said, repeating Israeli threats and warnings to citizens in Tehran to evacuate the Iranian capital.
Katz’ statement comes amid reports of US officials stating that President Donald Trump personally halted Israeli plans for Khamenei’s assassination.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not dispel any rumours about Israeli conspiracies against Khamenei in interviews, however.
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