Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has issued a stern warning to Israel in the wake of recent US-led strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, calling the attacks a ‘big crime’ and pledging sustained retaliation.
In his first public reaction since the airstrikes, Khamenei took to social media to declare that the ‘punishment continues’.
Speaking on Monday, Khamenei stated, “The Zionist enemy has made a big mistake, committed a big crime; it must be punished, and it is being punished right now.”
His remarks followed Israeli strikes that began on 13 June, targeting various sites within Iran, including sensitive nuclear and military locations.
The assault reportedly killed several senior commanders, scientists, and civilians.
Iran responded with a wave of missile and drone strikes targeting Israel.
As of Saturday, the Iranian Health Ministry reported more than 400 deaths and over 3,500 injuries.
Meanwhile, Israeli authorities confirmed 24 fatalities on their side.
The conflict intensified further on Sunday when an Israeli drone strike in Iran’s Isfahan province reportedly killed three people travelling in an ambulance.
Najafabad county governor Hamidreza Mohammadi Fesharaki confirmed to Iranian news agency ISNA that an Israeli drone strike hit an ambulance mid-transit, killing the patient, their companion, and the driver.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed his country’s military stance, stating on Sunday that Israel would continue to operate ‘at full tilt’ in both Iran and Gaza.
“We will not be dragged into a war of attrition. We will not stop this historic operation before we achieve our goals,” he said.
In a provocative move, the Iranian Parliament voted in favour of closing the Strait of Hormuz — a vital global oil transit route — as a form of retaliation following the US airstrikes.
Though non-binding, the vote recommends action to Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, chaired by Khamenei, which holds the final authority on such decisions.
The recent US military operation, dubbed ‘Operation Midnight Hammer’, marks the first direct American involvement in the latest conflict between Iran and Israel.
The strikes targeted nuclear facilities in Isfahan, Fordow, and Natanz.
The decision to launch the operation without Congressional approval has sparked criticism both domestically in the US and internationally.
As regional tensions escalate, global concerns mount over the implications of further retaliation, particularly regarding energy security and geopolitical stability.
Khamenei’s warning and the growing death toll indicate that the cycle of violence may continue, with broader consequences for the Middle East and beyond.
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