Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei reiterated on Wednesday a promise to retaliate against Israel following the recent killings of Iranian generals in Syria. Speaking at a prayer ceremony marking the end of Ramadan, Khamenei condemned the airstrike that destroyed Iran's consulate in Syria, labeling it as a violation of Iranian territory.
Khamenei stated, 'When they attack our consulate section, it looked like they attacked our territory. The evil regime must be punished, and it will be punished.' The strike resulted in the deaths of 12 individuals, including seven Iranian Revolutionary Guard members, four Syrians, and a Hezbollah militia member. While Israel has not officially claimed responsibility for the attack, tensions have been escalating between the two nations.
During his address, Khamenei also criticized Western nations, particularly the U.S. and Britain, for their support of Israel in its conflict with Hamas in Gaza. He expressed disappointment in the failure of Western governments to intervene and prevent what he referred to as a 'disaster.'
Iran has a history of backing anti-Israeli militant groups such as Palestinian Hamas and Lebanese Hezbollah, while maintaining a stance of non-recognition towards Israel. Khamenei did not provide specific details on how Iran plans to retaliate against Israel but emphasized that the country would face consequences for its actions.