Israel says regime change in Iran 'not objective but may be byproduct'

"If the Iranian regime refuses to come to a peaceful, diplomatic solution — which the President is still interested in engaging in...why shouldn't the Iranian people take away the power of this incredibly violent regime?...Our posture has not changed,“ White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News on Monday.

The White House on Monday defended the US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, calling Iran an "imminent threat" and asserting that the attacks crippled Tehran’s ability to build a nuclear weapon.

Speaking to ABC News, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said, "Iran was an imminent threat, and President Trump is the first president with the guts to actually do something about it."

Leavitt said the US strikes had “taken away Iran’s ability to create a nuclear bomb.”

Three oil and chemical tankers have changed course and diverted away from the Strait of Hormuz, tracking data showed on Monday, as tensions mount following US airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities and fears of possible Iranian retaliation in the strategic waterway.

MarineTraffic data showed the Marie C and Red Ruby, both sailing in ballast and previously headed toward the Strait, had dropped anchor near Fujairah, off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. A third vessel, the Kohzan Maru, was navigating in the Gulf of Oman, close to Omani waters.

Japan's Nippon Yusen and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines said on Monday they had issued guidance to their ships to minimize time spent in the Persian Gulf while maintaining operations through the Strait.

Iran’s exiled crown prince, Reza Pahlavi, said on Monday that the Islamic Republic is nearing collapse.

“Today it is clearer than ever. The Islamic Republic is collapsing,” Pahlavi told reporters at a press conference in Paris. “The regime is on its last legs.”

He added that Iran’s military was increasingly divided amid growing unrest, and said that “the people are united” against the government. “The foundations of this 46-year tyranny are shaking,” he said.

Pahlavi also announced the launch of a secure communications platform aimed at members of Iran’s military, police, and security forces seeking to defect from the Islamic Republic.

“I am establishing a formal channel for military, security, and police personnel to reach out directly to me, my team, and our expanding operation,” Pahlavi said.

“This is a secure platform to efficiently manage the growing volume of inbound communications and requests from those breaking with the regime and seeking to join our movement.”

He described the channel as part of an organized effort to support “patriotic members of our armed forces” and urged them to act.

“For those patriotic members of our armed forces, the time is now to join the nation,” he said. “If you do, I will make sure your service to Iran is not forgotten and is celebrated.”

Israel’s military has launched a series of strikes targeting what it described as key government repression bodies in the heart of Tehran, the Israeli Defense Ministry said on Monday.

According to a statement from the Office of the Minister of Defense, the airstrikes—conducted under the direction of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yisrael Katz—were aimed specifically at institutions linked to domestic political control and internal security.

“The IDF is now attacking with unprecedented force regime targets and government repression bodies in the heart of Tehran.”

Among the targets struck were the headquarters of the Basij paramilitary force, Evin prison—used to detain political prisoners and dissidents—the internal security division of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and the Islamic Republic's ideological command centers.

Also hit was the "Israel Destruction" clock in Palestine Square, a longstanding symbol of Tehran's hostility toward the Jewish state.

“For every shot fired at the Israeli home front, the Iranian dictator will be punished and the attacks will continue with full force,” added the statement.