Tehran: Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Monday issued a stern warning to Israel, vowing continued punishment in response to recent attacks and referring to the country as the "Zionist enemy." His remarks came in the wake of United States airstrikes on key Iranian nuclear sites, marking Washington’s first direct military involvement in the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel.
Describing the attacks as “a big crime,” Khamenei took to the X to declare, “The punishment continues. The Zionist enemy has made a big mistake, committed a big crime; it must be punished, and it is being punished; it is being punished right now.”
The US airstrikes, codenamed "Operation Midnight Hammer," targeted three major nuclear sites in Isfahan, Fordow, and Natanz. These strikes came in response to Israeli attacks launched on June 13 against various locations within Iran, including nuclear and military facilities, which resulted in the deaths of several senior commanders, nuclear scientists, and civilians, according to Xinhua news agency.
Iran has since retaliated with a wave of missile and drone strikes against Israel. As of Saturday, the Iranian Health Ministry reported over 400 fatalities and more than 3,500 injuries within Iran due to the ongoing hostilities. In Israel, authorities confirmed 24 deaths.
Adding to the rising toll, late Sunday, an Israeli drone strike in Iran’s central Isfahan province reportedly killed three individuals inside an ambulance. Iran’s ISNA news agency cited Hamidreza Mohammadi Fesharaki, the governor of Najafabad county, who said the vehicle was transporting a patient when it was targeted. The driver, the patient, and an accompanying individual all died in the strike.
Despite mounting international concern, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed his government’s commitment to continuing operations. "Israel will continue to operate at full tilt in both Iran and Gaza," he stated on Sunday, adding, “We will not be dragged into a war of attrition. We will not stop this historic operation before we achieve our goals.”
In a significant political move, the Iranian Parliament voted in favour of closing the Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil transit route. This decision came a day after the US attacks on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. However, the final decision on such a strategic retaliatory measure lies with Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, led by Khamenei. The parliamentary vote serves only as an advisory suggestion.
The US military intervention, executed without prior Congressional approval, has sparked widespread criticism domestically, with lawmakers and analysts questioning the legal basis and potential consequences of the action.
With IANS inputs