Following the start of a massive military attack on Iranian nuclear facilities, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called on the Iranian people to rise up against the leadership in Tehran.

The aim of the Israeli operation is not only to eliminate the nuclear and ballistic threat to Israel posed by the “Islamic regime,” but also “to pave the way for you to achieve your freedom,” Netanyahu said in a video message to the “proud Iranian people.”

The leadership in Tehran had “never been weaker than it is now,” Netanyahu asserted.

“This is your opportunity to stand up and raise your voices,” the Israeli prime minister added. At the same time, he reiterated that Israel’s attacks were not directed against the Iranian people, but only “against the murderous Islamic regime that oppresses you and keeps you in poverty.”

The time has come for the Iranian people to rally around their flag and their historical heritage by standing up for their freedom from this “evil and oppressive regime.”