"Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared on Sunday that Israel is 'closely monitoring the events unfolding in Iran'. "The protests for freedom have spread throughout the country. The people of Israel and the entire world stand in awe of the immense bravery of Iran's citizens. Israel supports their struggle for freedom and firmly condemns the mass killings of innocent civilians," he said. "We all hope that the Persian nation will soon be liberated from the yoke of tyranny, and when that day comes, Israel and Iran will once again be faithful partners in building a future of prosperity and peace for both nations," he added. Iranian Parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, earlier threatened to 'target occupied territories and US bases and ships' in the region if his country came under attack. Since late December, Iran has been grappling with protest groundswell, which started in Tehran and rapidly spread to other cities over crippling economic conditions and a weakening currency, with the rial plummeting against the US dollar. The Iranian authorities reaffirm their commitment to satisfy what they described as 'rightful' demands of the protesters in line with the available capabilities. Meanwhile, they warned that the 'enemy' attempts to take advantage of living problems stir up unrest in the country. In a message published on his Truth Social account on January 2, the US President Donald Trump warned that if Iran shoots the protesters, America 'will come to their rescue'."