Israel Foreign Minister Warns of Retaliation Against Iran

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, issued another stern warning to Israel on Wednesday, stating it “must be punished” for an airstrike in Damascus that resulted in the deaths of seven members of the Revolutionary Guards, including two generals. During a televised address following Eid al-Adha prayers, Khamenei emphasized that Israel had erred and would face consequences for its actions.

Responding to Khamenei’s remarks, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz warned via the social media platform X, posting in Persian, that Israel would retaliate against any Iranian aggression originating from Iranian soil.

Khamenei criticized the April 1st attack for violating the sanctity of diplomatic premises, highlighting the destruction of the Iranian consulate in Syria. He interpreted the attack as an assault on Iranian territory, emphasizing the seriousness of the incident.

This exchange of threats continues the longstanding animosity between Iran and Israel, with Khamenei and other Iranian officials repeatedly vowing retribution for the attack. Senior adviser Yahya Rahim Safavi also issued a warning regarding the safety of Israeli embassies worldwide.

Following these threats, Israel announced measures to bolster its defenses and put a temporary halt to leave for its combat units, preparing for possible Iranian retaliatory actions. The shadow conflict between Iran, which does not acknowledge Israel’s statehood, and Israel has escalated, with Iran accusing Israel of orchestrating attacks and assassinations targeting its nuclear program.