Shortly before Israel launched its ground operation into southern Lebanon aimed at disrupting the operations of Iran-backed Hezbollah militants, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a video message to the people of Iran.
He said Israel is "by your side" but warned that "there is nowhere we will not go to protect our people and protect our country."
And "with every passing moment," he said, the Iranian regime is bringing "the noble Persian people closer to the abyss."
In the video, released on September 30 in English with Persian subtitles, Netanyahu said that if the Iranian government really cared about its people, "it would stop wasting billions of dollars on futile wars across the Middle East."
However, what really caught the attention of Iranian viewers was when Netanyahu said, "When Iran is finally freed -- and that moment will come a lot sooner than people think -- everything will be different.”
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Netanyahu Tells Iran: 'Nowhere In The Middle East Israel Cannot Reach'
It's not the first time the Israeli prime minister has addressed Iranians directly in a video message. The Israeli government and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) maintain dedicated Persian-speaking social media accounts and frequently share content with the aim of influencing Iranians, particularly those who are against the regime in Tehran.
Netanyahu's latest video was met with both worry and support on Persian-language social media.
Saeed Ghasseminejad of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies in Washington, D.C., said he believes Iranians “welcome” such messaging by Netanyahu, saying, "The nation of Iran and the nation of Israel have common interests in overthrowing the Islamic republic."
Others, however, saw it as a "concerning" indication that military action against Iran is imminent, while some said they believed Netanyahu's video -- aimed at ordinary Iranians -- was a reminder to the Islamic republic's rulers that they did not have the support of the people.
Kaveh Shirzad, a France-based political activist, welcomed Netanyahu’s message while acknowledging that the Israeli prime minister "is not a saint," saying, “There are criticisms of his performance."
"Personally," he said, "I am waiting for Israel's practical steps, and I hope that [Netanyahu's] speech will not remain mere words."
Shirzad said he hopes Nenatnyahu “will help the people of Iran in overthrowing the government and achieving a stable democracy."
Ramin Parham, a Paris-based writer and commentator, wrote that while the content of Netanyahu's message may be welcomed, the problem is with the “messenger.”
"Change the medium (or the messenger) and the message will resonate," he wrote.
Some observers in Iran and beyond said such messaging from Israel actually plays into the hands of the Iranian state rather than supporting the plight of the Iranian people.
Paris-based anthropologist and writer Amin Bozorgian wrote on Telegram that Netanyahu's message represents a “fundamental discrediting of the will of Iranians” who wish to change their situation and is the “most exquisite gift of Netanyahu to the Iranian government.”
Bozorgian criticized “those who cheered Netanyahu from within Iran,” while stating, “Israel actually undermines the idea of change from within.”
Hamid Asefi, a political activist based in Tehran, told RFE/RL's Radio Farda that "tragically" some in society are “tired of the political struggle of recent decades” and may well welcome such a message from Netanyahu.
However, Asefi, who was recently detained by the Iranian authorities for a short time, asked: “When did Israel liberate a group of people in this region, which is filled with authoritarian regimes?”
And he warned of the “catastrophic” results of a possible military attack on Iran’s infrastructure. As he told Radio Farda: “As long as [Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali] Khamenei doesn’t listen to the hard-liners -- which up until now seems like he hasn’t, based on fear or pragmatism -- that's acceptable for us.”
Reza Rashidpour, an Iran-based media personality, said he was looking for more than just words from Israel, sarcastically writing on X: “Even when you go to the hairdresser, you ask for a sample of the work.”
"We heard that Netanyahu is going to bring freedom and peace to our country," Rashidpour wrote. "Can we see a sample first?"
Addressing concerns of a possible military attack on Iran by Israel, U.S.-based journalist Masoumeh Naseri wrote on X: “Bombs don't ask your political beliefs before they drop."
Hezbollah is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, while the European Union blacklists its armed wing but not its political party. Hezbollah’s political party has seats in the Lebanese parliament.