Iran’s Araghchi Accuses Netanyahu of Risking US Lives

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of trying to preserve his political position at the cost of American lives and resources, calling him a “wanted war criminal” with blood on his hands. Araghchi’s comments came amid renewed scrutiny of Netanyahu’s handling of warnings before the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack and the subsequent war in Gaza. Former military secretary Avi Gil said officials had warned that internal divisions were weakening Israel’s deterrence and alleged the public had not been given a full account of pre-attack discussions; he did not say officials had specifically predicted the attack’s scale. Netanyahu rejected Gil’s account and accused him of deflecting responsibility. The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity, charges the court says include starvation as a method of warfare.