The General Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces released an official statement on Tuesday following a large-scale missile strike targeting Israeli military positions.

The attack came in response to recent Israeli actions, including the assassination of Iranian military advisors and senior leaders of the resistance, as well as alleged massacres in Gaza and Lebanon.

The statement condemned Israel’s operations, calling the retaliatory strike a necessary response to the Zionist regime's "illegitimate actions," particularly the assassinations of prominent figures like Ismail Haniyeh, Hassan Nasrallah, and Iranian military personnel.

“Iran has not initiated any war in the past 45 years,” the statement read, “but will not hesitate to act in self-defense.”

The Iranian Armed Forces expressed gratitude to the IRGC Aerospace Force, the Army, and the Ministry of Defense for their participation in the missile operation, which struck key Israeli targets.

In a clear warning to Israel, the statement added that any further retaliation by the Zionist regime would result in the complete destruction of its military infrastructure in the occupied Palestinian territories. The statement also cautioned that if the United States directly supports Israel in any attack on Iran, U.S. military bases in the region would be targeted “in a harsh and regretful manner.”

The statement marks a significant escalation in the conflict, with Iran signaling its readiness to continue its military response if provoked. (ILKHA)