Israel Kills Top Iranian Nuclear Scientists, Netanyahu Says

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly stated that Israeli strikes have killed top Iranian nuclear scientists, a claim repeated across multiple outlets.

“BREAKING Smoke hangs over Tehran as Israel launches new wave of strikes on Iran’s capitalUS military says refuelling aircraft went down in western IraqOil prices stay above $100 per barrel as Strait of Hormuz effectively closed Click to pause breaking news tickerpause-square-backgroundClose Breaking News Tickerclose Toggle Play Netanyahu says Israeli strikes killed Iranian nuclear scientists Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said several Iranian nuclear scientists were killed in Israeli strikes”

Al Jazeera

Al Jazeera headlined the development as "Netanyahu says Israeli strikes killed Iranian nuclear scientists," while Reuters-sourced reporting carried by the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal opened with: "Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israeli attacks have killed top Iranian nuclear scientists."

Al Jazeera

WBAL News Radio likewise reported: "Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israeli attacks have killed top Iranian nuclear scientists."

Netanyahu used the announcement to attack Iran’s new leadership and to address the Iranian public directly, denouncing Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei as "a puppet of the Revolutionary Guards" and urging Iranians that "the moment for a 'new path of freedom' was approaching."

Multiple outlets quoted him saying Israel stands with the Iranian people and that ultimately change "depends on you."

Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal

The statements and claims came amid reports of fresh strikes and visible damage in Iran’s capital: Al Jazeera reported "Smoke hangs over Tehran as Israel launches new wave of strikes on Iran’s capital,"

“Netanyahu threatens Iran’s new supreme leader, defends joint assault with US ‘I will not detail the actions we are taking”

South China Morning Post

while Reuters-sourced dispatches cited by Arab News and the AP-fed Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal framed Netanyahu's assertions in the context of those strikes.

The coverage places Netanyahu’s announcement within an escalating set of cross-border attacks and strikes reported on 13 March 2026.

Beyond the immediate strike claims, Netanyahu framed Israel’s actions as part of a broader effort to weaken the Iranian regime, saying "We are creating the optimal conditions for toppling the regime" while acknowledging uncertainty that the people of Iran would topple it themselves.

Reuters coverage reproduced by The Straits Times quoted him: "But we can definitely help and we are helping."

The Straits Times

All provided excerpts present the story as Netanyahu’s assertion rather than an independently verified report: headlines and leads use phrasing such as "Netanyahu says" and attribute the deaths to his statements.

“He said they speak daily and that their conversations are free and open in nature”

TRT World

The Al Jazeera headline reads "Netanyahu says Israeli strikes killed Iranian nuclear scientists," the AP-fed Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal opens with the attribution, and WBAL News Radio similarly frames the information as coming from the prime minister.

TRT World