The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei, vowed a powerful and punishing response to the Israeli regime following its criminal airstrikes on Iranian soil.

His remarks came as Iran began launching waves of ballistic missile strikes deep into occupied Palestinian territories in a retaliatory operation hailed by many as a moment of justice and resistance.

Ayatollah Khamenei, speaking in a televised video message broadcast by Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), condemned the cowardly Israeli attack that targeted Tehran and other Iranian cities, including sensitive nuclear and military installations. The attacks, carried out early Friday morning, led to the martyrdom of several high-ranking commanders of Iran’s armed forces.

Among the fallen were General Mohammad Bagheri, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces; Major General Hossein Salami, Commander-in-Chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC); Lieutenant General Gholam-Ali Rashid, Commander of Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters; and Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, the renowned Commander of the IRGC Aerospace Division. Their martyrdom has further galvanized the Iranian people and their armed forces.

“These despicable criminals will not go unpunished,” Khamenei declared. “The Zionist regime will taste the bitter consequences of its crime. Our armed forces will act with determination, and they will make the Zionists miserable.”

Within hours of the attack on Tehran, the IRGC’s Aerospace Division launched a wave of retaliatory missile strikes targeting Israeli military positions, airbases, and command centers. Dozens of ballistic missiles were reportedly fired into the heart of the occupied territories, including Tel Aviv and strategic locations in the north and south.

Iranian officials described the operation as the beginning of a just retaliation and a warning to any regime that dares violate Iran’s sovereignty. State television emphasized that the missile strikes were precise, hitting critical Zionist infrastructure.

“This is not merely a response; it is the beginning of a reckoning,” one IRGC official stated. “The blood of our martyrs will not be spilled in vain.”

Khamenei later issued a second message, reiterating that the Zionist entity must brace itself for further consequences. “This regime will not escape unscathed,” he said. “The hand of divine justice has begun to move.”

As the Iranian nation mourns its fallen heroes, the streets of Tehran and other cities have filled with citizens voicing support for the armed forces and calling for continued resistance. Across the Muslim world, solidarity with Iran’s response is growing, with many viewing the strikes as a legitimate act of defense against unprovoked Zionist aggression. (ILKHA)