Israeli forces ordered to ‘intensify’ strikes on Iran as bombardments continue week into their war

Israeli forces on Friday were ordered to intensify strikes on Iran in an effort to completely “destabilize” the regime — as the two adversaries continued to bomb each other a week into their war.

Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz said he’d instructed the Israel Defense Forces to step up its onslaught on Tehran as the military carried strikes on dozens of military targets overnight, including a nuclear research site.

“We must strike all symbols of the regime and its mechanisms of oppression, such as the Basij, as well as the base of the regime’s power, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps,” Katz said.

He said the barrage of bombs must continue “to destabilize the regime and increase deterrence in response to missile fire on Israel’s home front.”

It comes as Israel said it conducted airstrikes in Iran with more than 60 aircraft hitting what it said were industrial sites to manufacture missiles.

The military also struck the headquarters of Iran’s Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research, which the US has in the past linked to alleged Iranian research and testing tied to the possible development of nuclear explosive devices.

“A week has passed since the operation began,” Israeli military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin told reporters.

“We are strengthening our air control in the region and advancing our air offensive. We have more sites to strike in Tehran, western Iran and other places.”

The latest attacks come after President Trump said Thursday he’d make a final decision on whether to strike Iran, too, in the “next two weeks” as he still holds out hope for renewed negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear program.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Friday insisted on Iranian state television that his country was “not seeking negotiations with anyone” so long as Israel’s attacks continued.

He also accused the US of being “companions and collaborators” with Israel, noting that Trump regularly used “we” in social media posts and interviews talking about the attacks on Iran.