Israel Katz

On 1 July, Katz called Mojtaba Khamenei "a dead man" and said he was marked for death. Iran's foreign minister warned of an immediate and powerful response if Israel acted. The remarks repeated a threat made after Mojtaba became Supreme Leader in March, rather than announcing a confirmed new operation.

For Katz, the public threat placed the Israeli defence minister directly in Iran's succession crisis. Mojtaba then missed his father's state funeral on 4 July, with no explanation from Iranian officials. The absence made Katz's threat part of the political pressure surrounding Iran's new leader, although no public evidence tied Katz to his whereabouts.

On 14 June, Katz said Israeli forces would remain in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza for an unlimited period. His statement ruled out withdrawal from southern Lebanon as the Iran-US agreement sought to settle the Lebanon front.

That position framed the next Ceasefire crisis. On 19 June, Israeli forces struck about 80 Hezbollah sites across southern Lebanon and Beirut, while a US- and Qatar-brokered Ceasefire renewed without an Israeli withdrawal agreement. For Katz, the episode showed that his declared military posture remained intact despite diplomatic pressure.