Bharat Rakshak

Larijani’s death, said Michael Makovsky, president and CEO of the Jewish Institute for National Security of America, “has to hearten the Iranian people, and encourage them more at some point to rise up again against the regime.”

Netanyahu is looking to take advantage of the strike immediately. In an English-language message to the Iranian people on Tuesday night, he urged them to “celebrate the Festival of Fire.”

The holiday of Chaharshanbe Suri, marked on Tuesday evening and seen by the Islamic Republic as pagan though it’s of Zoroastrian origin, often features anti-regime protests. “Celebrate and Happy Nowruz,” said Netanyahu, reassuring Iran’s people that “we’re watching from above.”