An Israeli official has revealed to Fox News Digital the dual objectives of a U.S.-Israeli mission in Iran, highlighting its potential to reshape the future dynamics of the Middle East. This announcement comes amidst ongoing military actions targeting the Iranian regime.
In a recent interview, Amichai Chikli, Israel’s Minister of Diaspora Affairs, outlined the primary aim of the mission: to eliminate existential threats posed by Iran, particularly its ballistic missile program. These missiles, which were under rapid reconstruction after being targeted in last year’s Operation Midnight Hammer, pose a significant threat to Israeli cities and infrastructure, including hospitals.
Chikli emphasized the urgency of dismantling these missiles, citing their capability to strike at the heart of Israel’s urban centers. He further noted that there are still critical elements of Iran’s nuclear program that need to be addressed and dismantled.
A photograph captures a plume of smoke rising after a military strike in Tehran, Iran, on Monday, March 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Mohsen Ganji)
The mission’s secondary objective is to establish conducive conditions for a potential regime change in Iran, according to Chikli. This strategic approach aims to alter the existing power structure within the country.
The second goal of the mission is to create conditions to change the regime in Iran, Chikli said.
“We are well aware of the fact that not the IDF and not the U.S. Army is going to replace the regime in Iran,” he said. “It’s up to the Iranian people who have now the biggest opportunity in the last 40-plus years since the beginning of the revolution to do something in order to create a different reality in Iran and regain their freedom.”
A state TV communications tower and building destroyed Sunday during an airstrike are seen in Tehran, Iran, Monday, March 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
President Donald Trump on Saturday encouraged the Iranian people to take over their government once the U.S. and Israel finished combat operations in Iran, telling them to “seize control of [their] destiny.”
“The hour of your freedom is at hand. Stay sheltered. Don’t leave your home. It’s very dangerous outside. Bombs will be dropping everywhere. When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take,” Trump said. “This will be, probably, your only chance for generations.”
Plumes of smoke from two simultaneous strikes rise over Tehran, Iran, Monday, March 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Mohsen Ganji)
A U.S. senior official previously confirmed to Fox News that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was among five to 10 top leaders killed after an Israeli strike in Tehran as part of “Operation Epic Fury.”
Chikli discussed a situation where Iran can be aligned with “the West, with freedom, with human dignity,” adding that “we need to push forward to achieve this kind of change in Iran.”
“Iran is a major state with a lot of resources, and it can be an ally,” he said. “An ally of Israel, it can be an ally of the U.S., it can be an ally of the UAE, it can be an ally of Kuwait and every moderate regime in the region.”
Iran’s retaliation against the American and Israeli attacks has been focused on Israel and U.S. assets in the Middle East, including in Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and Jordan.
Iran’s actions prompted many Arab countries to condemn the regime’s strikes and affirm solidarity with one another.
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