Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz on Saturday threatened to "burn Tehran" if Iran continues to launch missile attacks against Israeli territory, escalating already heightened tensions between the two regional adversaries.

In a stark warning amid rising hostilities, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz threatened on Saturday that Israel would "burn Tehran" if Iran persists in targeting Israeli cities with missile strikes.

The warning followed a high-level security assessment attended by Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, Mossad Director David Barnea, and other senior defense officials, according to The Times of Israel.

“The Iranian dictator is turning the citizens of Iran into hostages and creating a reality in which they, especially the residents of Tehran, will pay a heavy price for the criminal attack on Israeli civilians,” Katz said, referring to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

“If Khamenei continues to fire missiles at the Israeli home front, Tehran will burn,” he added.

Earlier Saturday, IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir and Israeli Air Force Commander Tomer Bar signaled intensified military operations, stating that “the path to Iran is paved.” They confirmed that Israeli warplanes were preparing to conduct further airstrikes on the Iranian capital.

The developments come amid a significant escalation in regional conflict. Israel launched a wide-scale military operation early Friday, deploying around 200 aircraft to target Iranian nuclear and missile facilities, killing senior military commanders and nuclear scientists.

Iran retaliated with a barrage of missiles and drones later that evening. Israeli media reported that the Iranian strikes killed three people and injured 172 others.

With both sides trading deadly strikes, fears are growing that the conflict could spiral into a broader regional war, as diplomatic efforts to de-escalate appear increasingly uncertain.

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