Israel's president, Isaac Herzog, has condemned Iran as an “empire of evil” which “must be crushed” during a rare interview with a non-Israeli outlet.
During an expansive sit-down with pro-Israel campaign group StandWithUs, Herzog gave significant insight into Israel's war aims at this stage of the conflict.
"For me, winning the war is limiting the capability of Iran to get a nuclear bomb and of course, denigrating its capability, long-range missile capability, meaning the two main tools which threaten Israel," he said.
"Of course, we should add its proxies and hopefully make a change in the nation, a regime change, but that's not something that I can define as a formal goal. So, right now, you know, in this respect, we're absolutely winning the war.
"We're crushing their military capabilities. We're definitely hurting badly their capability of rushing to the bomb. I mean in a substantial manner that will bring them back years and years. In this respect, this is a very very important moment.
"And of course, we must remember our American allies, the American military, service people, men and women who are carrying out an incredible mission out there with other allies in the region who are fighting hard against this empire of evil."
Herzog also addressed the rising tide of antisemitism in Europe, particularly referencing Monday's arson attack against Hatzola ambulances in London, which police are investigating as an "antisemitic hate crime".
"We are in the midst of a major surge of antisemitic activity all over the world. I am the president of Israel, who feels enormous responsibility for the well-being of Jews all over the world," he went on.
"How come in Britain, the Prime Minister of Britain says there were about 10 or 20 events only last year linked to Iranian terror? What is this? They're allowed to do what they want. They are a rogue state.
"I spoke to Hatzola leadership yesterday. It was a very moving conversation because I called them from Kiryat Shemona on the border with Lebanon and their missiles from Lebanon and I told them the fate of all Jews is unanimous. We are there together. We're in this battle together.”
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