Khamenei issues rare Hebrew statement, threatens fierce revenge
ALBAWABA - Following Israeli airstrikes that murdered key Iranian military commanders early Friday, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei sent a harsh warning to Israel in Hebrew on the social networking site X.
"The Zionist regime must expect severe punishment," Khamenei said in his statement, adding that "the strong hand of the Islamic Republic's military power will not let this go unpunished." Israel was accused of planning its own "bitter fate and a future filled with suffering," according to him.
The remarks were made only hours after Israel started Operation "Rising Lion," a massive aircraft attack on Iranian sites purportedly intended to neutralize Iran's nuclear threat. Three senior Iranian military and security officers were killed in the attacks, according to the Israeli military.
The first attack "achieved several important objectives," according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who praised the operation as a success.
הישות הציונית צריכה לצפות לעונש כבד. ידה החזקה של הכוח הצבאי של הרפובליקה האסלאמית לא תרפה ממנה.
הישות הפושעת תכננה לעצמה גורל מר ועתיד מלא ייסורים. — Khamenei.ir Hebrew (@Khamenei_Heb) June 13, 2025
Later, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) reported that Major General Hossein Salami, its commander-in-chief, and a number of other top commanders had died. Retaliation for the horrific strike was promised by the IRGC, which pledged a "decisive response."
As tensions in the area rise in anticipation of a wider battle, the attack represents a major escalation in the current struggle between Israel and Iran.
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