Netanyahu tells Iranians 'nowhere in Middle East Israel cannot reach'

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday warned Iranians there was no place in the Middle East beyond Israel's reach, as his military launched strikes on the Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon.

"There is nowhere in the Middle East Israel cannot reach," Netanyahu said in a video statement issued in English, warning the people of Iran that their "regime plunges our region deeper into darkness and deeper into war".

Netanyahu accused the Islamic Republic of subjugating its citizens and indicated the Israeli military is capable of assassinating Iran’s leaders.

"Every day, their (Iran’s) puppets are eliminated. Ask Mohammed Deif. Ask Nasrallah," Netanyahu said. "There is nowhere in the Middle East Israel cannot reach."

He was referring to the head of Hamas’ military wing, who Israel says it killed in a July strike in Gaza, and the head of Lebanon’s Hezbollah group, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in a strike on Friday. Hamas has not confirmed Deif’s death.

Over the past week, Israel has killed seven high-ranking Hezbollah commanders and officials. Iran, Hezbollah’s main backer and sponsor, has vowed to retaliate.

"Iran’s tyrants don’t care about your future," Netanyahu said. "When Iran is finally free, that moment will come a lot sooner than people think. Everything will be different."

Hamas’ political leader, Ismael Haniyeh, was assassinated in July in a strike on Tehran, and Iran blamed Israel. Israel has not confirmed or denied it was behind that killing.