Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed Saturday to respond to any attacks by Israel and its ally the United States against Iran or its allied groups in the region. “The enemies, both the United States and the Zionist regime, must know that they will certainly receive a scathing response to their actions against Iran, the Iranian nation and the resistance front” against Israel, the Ayatollah said. Khamenei, in power since 1989.
Iran's supreme leader, who has the final say on all strategic decisions in Iran, was speaking to students ahead of the anniversary of the storming of the US embassy in Tehran by protesters, on November 4, 1979. The assault resulted in the hostage-taking of 52 American diplomats, who were not released until 444 days later.
Five dead after Israeli operation
This declaration comes at a time when Israel, of which the United States is the main ally, is engaged in a conflict with Iran and its regional relays, including the Lebanese Hezbollah, since the start of the war in Gaza against Palestinian Hamas, on October 7, 2023. On October 26, the Israeli army for the first time publicly admitted to having attacked military targets on Iranian territory, in an operation presented as retaliation for Iranian missile attacks against Israel on October 1 .
Israel said its strikes had targeted missile manufacturing facilities in particular, while Tehran downplayed their scope but reported five deaths. “We are certainly doing everything that needs to be done to prepare the Iranian nation, whether in military terms, in terms of armaments or politically” against any threat, Ayatollah Khamenei assured Saturday.
Since the October 26 attacks, Israel has warned Iran against retaliating, while Tehran, declaring that it does not seek war, has promised to respond. On Friday, the United States announced new military deployments to the Middle East that will arrive “in the coming months” for the “defense of Israel” and as a warning to Iran.
