Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz on Thursday said the country is "prepared to renew the war against Iran", while awaiting approval from the United States to proceed with further operations, according to a report by the Jerusalem Post.
During a security assessment on Thursday, Katz said that the Israeli military is "awaiting the green light from the United States to complete the elimination of the Khamenei dynasty," the Jerusalem Post reported.
He further said the military is ready for offensive and defensive action, saying, "The IDF is prepared for both defence and attack, and the targets are marked."
Katz also said, "The terrorist regime in Iran specialises mainly in internal repression of the population through the Revolutionary Guards and the Basij."
He further accused Tehran of economic coercion, stating, "Energy extortion, with the threat of raising global oil prices."
Katz claimed instability within Iran's leadership, saying, "Its leaders are hiding in tunnels and have difficulty communicating and making decisions, its skies are wide open, and all its national infrastructure and strategic facilities are exposed to attacks, but it declares that it is victorious."
Katz drew comparisons with Iran's regional allies and said the country "does not care about the heavy prices paid by the population," likening it to Hamas and Hezbollah.
He warned of intensified military action, stating that future operations would be "different and deadly," targeting "the most painful places," and added that such strikes would "shake and collapse its foundations."
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump on Thursday (local time) said he would not use a nuclear weapon in the conflict with Iran, stating that such weapons should never be used by anyone.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, when asked whether he would use a nuclear weapon against Iran, Trump said, "Why would a stupid question like that be asked?... No, I wouldn't use it. A nuclear weapon should never be allowed to be used by anybody."
Further, Trump said the United States has a strong economy and sufficient oil supply, added that several ships are now heading to the US instead of the Strait of Hormuz, amid efforts to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions.
He also said the United States has "total control" over the Strait of Hormuz and is deliberately keeping it closed to pressure Iran into a deal, adding that he wants a lasting agreement and will not rush the process despite claiming significant progress.
Meanwhile, the Iranian government has sent out a message of unity after US media reports claimed that there was a divide within the power structure of the Islamic Republic. Iran's leaders hip said that the nation is united despite the claims made by the US suggesting otherwise.
The government officials and leadership shared the same message in a bid to amplify the voice of Iran.
In a post on X, the Iranian government said, "Following continued interventionist remarks by the US president about alleged divisions in Iran, the heads of government branches shared a unified message on X to firmly counter these provocative and unfounded claims.
In their meaningful joint message, they conveyed a unified voice from Iran to the world: Iran is united, and attempts to impose labels like "hardliner" and "moderate" do not reflect the reality on the ground.
Mohammad Reza Aref, First Vice President, Elias Hazrati, head of the Government Information Council, Gholamreza Nouri, Minister of Agriculture, and many other high officials also shared the message to amplify Iran's unified voice globally."
(With inputs from ANI)