Iran’s supreme leader says Israeli leaders should be issued death sentences, not arrest warrants

Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei on Nov 25, said Israeli leaders deserve death sentences instead of arrest warrants.

His comments came days after the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense chief Yoav Gallant.

Earlier this month, Netanyahu dismissed Gallant due to differences over war management strategies.

The ICC, on Nov 21, also issued a warrant against Hamas military leader Mohammed Deif, whom Israel claimed died in an attack.

Khamenei criticized the ICC's actions, stating, “They issued an arrest warrant, that’s not enough… Death sentences must be issued for these criminal leaders,” referring to Israeli officials.

The ICC judges said there are plausible grounds to believe Netanyahu and Gallant are responsible for war crimes, including murder, persecution, and using starvation as a weapon of war.

The court accused Israel of launching widespread, systematic attacks on Gaza's civilian population.

Meanwhile, hostilities persist between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah group. The latest Israeli airstrike on Beirut on Nov 23 killed at least 29 people. Israel has also targeted Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs.

On Nov 24, Hezbollah fired over 200 rockets at Israel. The Israeli military stated that many of these were intercepted, although shrapnel injured at least four people.

Amid the violence, progress has reportedly been made in US-led ceasefire talks. Reports from Axios and CNN suggest a deal is close but not finalized.

A draft agreement indicates that during a 60-day transition period, the Israeli military would retreat from southern Lebanon, the Lebanese military would take control of border areas, and Hezbollah would move heavy weaponry north of the Litani River.

A US-led oversight committee would enforce the deal and address violations.

Israel began its offensive in mid-September after Hezbollah launched rockets on Tel Aviv in solidarity with Hamas and Gaza. The conflict has since uprooted over 1 million people in Lebanon and caused more than 3,000 deaths, according to the Lebanese health ministry.

Meanwhile, Israel maintains its offensive aims to secure its northern regions and enable displaced Israelis to return to their homes, as their safety was threatened by Hezbollah's attacks.