Israeli Ambassador to Kenya Gideon Behar has defended Israel’s recent strike on Iran as an act of self-defence.

He spoke during an interview on a local TV station, where he addressed concerns about escalating conflicts and the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in joint US-Israeli airstrikes.

The interviewer asked whether the world now accepts a “normalisation of wars”, where leaders attack others simply because they dislike them or what they represent. The question referenced events in Venezuela, Iran, and Cuba.

Behar rejected this view. “Would you say there is a normalisation for a country to develop atomic bombs, to throw them on other countries and to kill them and destroy them? Do we want that?” he asked back.

He stressed that the international community has failed to provide answers to Iran’s actions.

“We acted in self-defence for us,” Behar said.

He accused Iran of building a comprehensive strategy to destroy Israel, dominate the Middle East, and threaten moderate countries in the region. Behar outlined three key elements of this strategy.

First, Iran develops atomic bombs. Second, it builds ballistic missiles with ranges of thousands of kilometres, capable of carrying nuclear weapons against Israel or any country that refuses to comply with the regime’s demands. Third, Iran supports terrorist organisations across the Middle East and beyond.

He named groups such as the Houthis, who cooperate with Al-Shabaab, a threat in Eastern Africa, Hezbollah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and various militias.

“Believe me, this is a terrible regime,” Behar said. “This is an oppressive regime for everyone. It’s a menace. It’s an evil regime. And I’m sure the world would be much better without it.”

Death of Khamenei

The interviewer then raised the death of Khamenei on the first day of the massive airstrikes. She noted that Khamenei had support in some Islamic communities worldwide, and asked if the killing could provoke a revolution to defend an Islamic agenda.

Behar dismissed the idea completely.

“Not at all,” he replied.

He described Khamenei as the leader of a terroristic regime who represented only his own government, not the wider Muslim world or even Iranians.

“He enjoys no support within the Iranian people,” Behar said. “Please look at what’s going on on the streets of Iran itself and elsewhere in the world. The Iranian people are happy that this person is gone.”

He called Khamenei a threat to the entire region. For four decades, Behar argued, Khamenei led policies that oppressed Iranians, violated human rights, forced hijab on women, and carried out notorious executions.

“Just in the last year, 2025, they have executed about 2,000 people of their own people,” he noted. “So this is a horrible regime which was led by this person. The world is a better place without this guy.”

Behar’s comments come amid heightened tensions following the strikes, which Israel and the US described as pre-emptive to counter Iran’s nuclear programme and support for proxy groups. The ambassador emphasised that Israel targets threats, not civilians, and acts to protect itself after ignored warnings.