Iran’s “execution list” has been widely shared on social media for the past few days. Sharing the list, many claimed on social media the “Iranian Government has produced an assassination list of top targets within Israel!!” The viral “hit list” showed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the top of the chart.
The list names several prominent Israeli figures – including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, and the commanders of Israel’s Army, Navy, and Air Force. Mint could not verify the authenticity of the viral picture of Iran’s “hit list”.
The purported “Execution list of Israeli terrorists” include these names:
1. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
2. Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant
3. Chief of the General Staff Herzi Halevi
4. Commander of the Israeli Air Force Tomer Bar
5. Head of Northern Command Ori Gordin
6. Commander of the Israeli Navy Saar Salama
7. Deputy Chief of the General Staff Amir Baram
8. Head of Central Command Yehuda Fox
9. Chief of Ground Forces Tamir Yadai
10. Head of Military Intelligence Aharon Haliva
11. Head of Southern Command Eliezer Toledano
The list was widely shared on October 2.
Israel is currently engaged in a “multi-front war” with Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Iran backs both Hamas and Hezbollah. The war with the Palestinian militant group Hamas started in October when the group launched surprise attacks in parts of Israel.
Iranian-backed Hezbollah, the strongest armed force in Lebanon, began firing rockets into Israel almost immediately after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, calling it a show of support for the Palestinians. Hezbollah and Israel’s military have traded fire almost daily.
Last week, Israel launched what it called a limited ground operation into southern Lebanon after a series of attacks killed longtime Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and others. The fighting is the worst since Israel and Hezbollah fought a brief war in 2006. Nine Israeli soldiers have been killed in the ground clashes that Israel says have killed 440 Hezbollah fighters.
The Israeli military said special forces were carrying out ground raids against Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon. On Saturday evening, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said “Israel has the duty and the right to defend itself and respond to these attacks, and it will do so.” On Lebanon, he said ”we are not done yet.”