‘Severe punishment': Iran Supreme Leader's chilling threat
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Credit: AAP
Max Corstorphan The Nightly
Supreme Leader of Iran Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has vowed revenge on Israel from strikes on Tehran and nuclear sites, saying 'the powerful hand of the Islamic Republic's armed forces' is ready.
'The great nation of Iran!' the statement released through the Islamic Republic News Agency began.
'The Zionist regime, at dawn today, opened its dirty and bloody hand to a crime in our beloved country and revealed its evil nature more than ever by striking residential centres.
'The regime must expect severe punishment.
'The powerful hand of the Islamic Republic's armed forces will not abandon him, God willing.
'Several commanders and scientists were martyred in the enemy attacks. Their successors and colleagues will immediately resume their duties, God willing.
'With this crime, the Zionist regime prepared for itself a bitter and painful fate, and it will definitely receive it.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Age
3 hours ago
- The Age
How Mossad covertly prepared Israel's attack from deep inside Iran
By the time Israeli aircraft were streaking across the sky towards nuclear and military sites in Iran on Friday, secret commando teams, swarms of armed drones and explosives concealed in ordinary vehicles were emerging from deep inside Iran and making their way towards slumbering targets. Among the targets were military commanders, nuclear scientists and leaders of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard Corps – many of them 'still in their beds, in their homes', said a senior Israeli security official with direct knowledge of the operation who provided previously unpublished details to The Washington Post. By daybreak, members of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's inner circle and key figures in the country's nuclear brains trust were dead, in some cases apparent casualties of explosives-packed drones or other devices that blew holes in the sides of apartment high-rises and other structures in central Tehran, according to Israeli and Western security officials as well as regime statements on known casualties. An operation dubbed 'Rising Lion' by the Israeli government relied on the activation of clandestine intelligence teams, pre-positioned weapons caches and other capabilities that had lain dormant inside Iranian territory for weeks or even months, officials said. The targeted killings were part of a 'first wave' in the attack plan designed to kill 'decision-makers' in the Revolutionary Guard Corps and Iran's regime while they 'were in places that we knew about', the senior Israeli security official said. Israeli officials, who have an incentive to tout the success of the strikes, and others spoke on the condition of anonymity, citing the secrecy of the operation, which expanded in the ensuing hours to include missile and airstrikes on Iranian nuclear and military sites. Loading Among those killed in the opening phase were General Mohammad Bagheri, commander of Iran's military; General Hossein Salami, commander in chief of the Revolutionary Guard Corps, Iran's main paramilitary force; and Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi, a physicist and president of the Islamic Azad University in Tehran. The killings were part of a multistage operation led by Mossad, Israel's external intelligence service, which had accelerated in recent months but was 'long in the making and required bold and sophisticated planning' and 'tactical deception', a second senior Israeli security official said. The final stages of preparation unfolded even amid revived US nuclear negotiations with Iran, and they involved Mossad agents enlisted to 'smuggle large quantities of special weaponry into Iran, deploy it throughout the country, and launch it toward designated targets', the second official said.
Sydney Morning Herald
3 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
How Mossad covertly prepared Israel's attack from deep inside Iran
By the time Israeli aircraft were streaking across the sky towards nuclear and military sites in Iran on Friday, secret commando teams, swarms of armed drones and explosives concealed in ordinary vehicles were emerging from deep inside Iran and making their way towards slumbering targets. Among the targets were military commanders, nuclear scientists and leaders of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard Corps – many of them 'still in their beds, in their homes', said a senior Israeli security official with direct knowledge of the operation who provided previously unpublished details to The Washington Post. By daybreak, members of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's inner circle and key figures in the country's nuclear brains trust were dead, in some cases apparent casualties of explosives-packed drones or other devices that blew holes in the sides of apartment high-rises and other structures in central Tehran, according to Israeli and Western security officials as well as regime statements on known casualties. An operation dubbed 'Rising Lion' by the Israeli government relied on the activation of clandestine intelligence teams, pre-positioned weapons caches and other capabilities that had lain dormant inside Iranian territory for weeks or even months, officials said. The targeted killings were part of a 'first wave' in the attack plan designed to kill 'decision-makers' in the Revolutionary Guard Corps and Iran's regime while they 'were in places that we knew about', the senior Israeli security official said. Israeli officials, who have an incentive to tout the success of the strikes, and others spoke on the condition of anonymity, citing the secrecy of the operation, which expanded in the ensuing hours to include missile and airstrikes on Iranian nuclear and military sites. Loading Among those killed in the opening phase were General Mohammad Bagheri, commander of Iran's military; General Hossein Salami, commander in chief of the Revolutionary Guard Corps, Iran's main paramilitary force; and Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi, a physicist and president of the Islamic Azad University in Tehran. The killings were part of a multistage operation led by Mossad, Israel's external intelligence service, which had accelerated in recent months but was 'long in the making and required bold and sophisticated planning' and 'tactical deception', a second senior Israeli security official said. The final stages of preparation unfolded even amid revived US nuclear negotiations with Iran, and they involved Mossad agents enlisted to 'smuggle large quantities of special weaponry into Iran, deploy it throughout the country, and launch it toward designated targets', the second official said.
The Advertiser
3 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Iran launches missiles at Israel in response to strikes
Iran and Israel are targeting each other with missiles and air strikes after Israel launched its biggest-ever air offensive against its longtime foe in a bid to prevent it developing a nuclear weapon. Air raid sirens sounded in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem early on Saturday, sending residents rushing into shelters as successive waves of Iranian missiles streaked across the skies. The military said its air defence systems were operating. "In the last hour, dozens of missiles have been launched at the state of Israel from Iran, some of which were intercepted," the Israeli military said. It said rescue teams were working at a number of locations across the country where fallen projectiles were reported. In Iran, several explosions were heard in the capital Tehran. The Fars news agency said two projectiles hit Tehran's Mehrabad airport, which hosts an air force base. Israeli media said a suspected missile came down in Tel Aviv, and a Reuters witness heard a loud boom in Jerusalem. The Fars news agency said Tehran launched waves of air strikes on Saturday after two salvos on Friday night. One of the waves targeted Tel Aviv before dawn on Saturday, with explosions heard in the capital and Jerusalem, witnesses said. Those were in response to Israel's attacks on Iran early on Friday against commanders, nuclear scientists, military targets and nuclear sites. Israel's ambulance service said 34 people were injured on Friday night in the Tel Aviv area, most with minor injuries. Police later said one person had died. The US military helped shoot down Iranian missiles headed for Israel on Friday, two US officials said. Israel's military said Iran fired fewer than 100 missiles on Friday and most were intercepted or fell short. Several buildings in and around Tel Aviv were hit. The Israeli strikes on Iran throughout the day and the Iranian retaliation raised fears of a broader regional conflagration, although Iran's allies Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon have been decimated by Israel. Iran's state news agency IRNA said Tehran launched hundreds of ballistic missiles at Israel after Israel blasted Iran's huge Natanz underground nuclear site and killed its top military commanders. Iran denies that its uranium enrichment activities are part of a secret weapons program, saying its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes. Western countries have long accused Iran of refining uranium at Natanz to levels suitable for a bomb rather than civilian use. The above-ground pilot enrichment plant at Natanz had been destroyed, UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi told the Security Council. He said the UN was still gathering information about Israeli attacks on the Fordow fuel enrichment plant and a facility at Isfahan. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused Israel of starting a war, and a senior Iranian official said revenge would be painful. Iran's UN envoy Amir Saeid Iravani said 78 people, including senior military officials, were killed in Israel's strikes on Iran and more than 320 people were wounded, most of them civilians. He accused the US of being complicit in the attacks and said it shared full responsibility for the consequences. Israeli UN envoy Danny Danon said intelligence had confirmed that within days Iran would have produced enough fissile material for multiple bombs. He called Israel's operation "an act of national preservation". The UN nuclear watchdog concluded this week that Iran was in violation of its obligations under the global non-proliferation treaty. US President Donald Trump said it was not too late for Tehran to halt the Israeli bombing campaign by reaching a deal on its nuclear program. Tehran had been in talks with the Trump administration on a deal to curb its nuclear program to replace one that Trump abandoned in 2018. Tehran rejected the last US offer. Talks are due to resume in Oman on Sunday but Iran signalled it might not join. Iran and Israel are targeting each other with missiles and air strikes after Israel launched its biggest-ever air offensive against its longtime foe in a bid to prevent it developing a nuclear weapon. Air raid sirens sounded in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem early on Saturday, sending residents rushing into shelters as successive waves of Iranian missiles streaked across the skies. The military said its air defence systems were operating. "In the last hour, dozens of missiles have been launched at the state of Israel from Iran, some of which were intercepted," the Israeli military said. It said rescue teams were working at a number of locations across the country where fallen projectiles were reported. In Iran, several explosions were heard in the capital Tehran. The Fars news agency said two projectiles hit Tehran's Mehrabad airport, which hosts an air force base. Israeli media said a suspected missile came down in Tel Aviv, and a Reuters witness heard a loud boom in Jerusalem. The Fars news agency said Tehran launched waves of air strikes on Saturday after two salvos on Friday night. One of the waves targeted Tel Aviv before dawn on Saturday, with explosions heard in the capital and Jerusalem, witnesses said. Those were in response to Israel's attacks on Iran early on Friday against commanders, nuclear scientists, military targets and nuclear sites. Israel's ambulance service said 34 people were injured on Friday night in the Tel Aviv area, most with minor injuries. Police later said one person had died. The US military helped shoot down Iranian missiles headed for Israel on Friday, two US officials said. Israel's military said Iran fired fewer than 100 missiles on Friday and most were intercepted or fell short. Several buildings in and around Tel Aviv were hit. The Israeli strikes on Iran throughout the day and the Iranian retaliation raised fears of a broader regional conflagration, although Iran's allies Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon have been decimated by Israel. Iran's state news agency IRNA said Tehran launched hundreds of ballistic missiles at Israel after Israel blasted Iran's huge Natanz underground nuclear site and killed its top military commanders. Iran denies that its uranium enrichment activities are part of a secret weapons program, saying its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes. Western countries have long accused Iran of refining uranium at Natanz to levels suitable for a bomb rather than civilian use. The above-ground pilot enrichment plant at Natanz had been destroyed, UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi told the Security Council. He said the UN was still gathering information about Israeli attacks on the Fordow fuel enrichment plant and a facility at Isfahan. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused Israel of starting a war, and a senior Iranian official said revenge would be painful. Iran's UN envoy Amir Saeid Iravani said 78 people, including senior military officials, were killed in Israel's strikes on Iran and more than 320 people were wounded, most of them civilians. He accused the US of being complicit in the attacks and said it shared full responsibility for the consequences. Israeli UN envoy Danny Danon said intelligence had confirmed that within days Iran would have produced enough fissile material for multiple bombs. He called Israel's operation "an act of national preservation". The UN nuclear watchdog concluded this week that Iran was in violation of its obligations under the global non-proliferation treaty. US President Donald Trump said it was not too late for Tehran to halt the Israeli bombing campaign by reaching a deal on its nuclear program. Tehran had been in talks with the Trump administration on a deal to curb its nuclear program to replace one that Trump abandoned in 2018. Tehran rejected the last US offer. Talks are due to resume in Oman on Sunday but Iran signalled it might not join. Iran and Israel are targeting each other with missiles and air strikes after Israel launched its biggest-ever air offensive against its longtime foe in a bid to prevent it developing a nuclear weapon. Air raid sirens sounded in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem early on Saturday, sending residents rushing into shelters as successive waves of Iranian missiles streaked across the skies. The military said its air defence systems were operating. "In the last hour, dozens of missiles have been launched at the state of Israel from Iran, some of which were intercepted," the Israeli military said. It said rescue teams were working at a number of locations across the country where fallen projectiles were reported. In Iran, several explosions were heard in the capital Tehran. The Fars news agency said two projectiles hit Tehran's Mehrabad airport, which hosts an air force base. Israeli media said a suspected missile came down in Tel Aviv, and a Reuters witness heard a loud boom in Jerusalem. The Fars news agency said Tehran launched waves of air strikes on Saturday after two salvos on Friday night. One of the waves targeted Tel Aviv before dawn on Saturday, with explosions heard in the capital and Jerusalem, witnesses said. Those were in response to Israel's attacks on Iran early on Friday against commanders, nuclear scientists, military targets and nuclear sites. Israel's ambulance service said 34 people were injured on Friday night in the Tel Aviv area, most with minor injuries. Police later said one person had died. The US military helped shoot down Iranian missiles headed for Israel on Friday, two US officials said. Israel's military said Iran fired fewer than 100 missiles on Friday and most were intercepted or fell short. Several buildings in and around Tel Aviv were hit. The Israeli strikes on Iran throughout the day and the Iranian retaliation raised fears of a broader regional conflagration, although Iran's allies Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon have been decimated by Israel. Iran's state news agency IRNA said Tehran launched hundreds of ballistic missiles at Israel after Israel blasted Iran's huge Natanz underground nuclear site and killed its top military commanders. Iran denies that its uranium enrichment activities are part of a secret weapons program, saying its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes. Western countries have long accused Iran of refining uranium at Natanz to levels suitable for a bomb rather than civilian use. The above-ground pilot enrichment plant at Natanz had been destroyed, UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi told the Security Council. He said the UN was still gathering information about Israeli attacks on the Fordow fuel enrichment plant and a facility at Isfahan. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused Israel of starting a war, and a senior Iranian official said revenge would be painful. Iran's UN envoy Amir Saeid Iravani said 78 people, including senior military officials, were killed in Israel's strikes on Iran and more than 320 people were wounded, most of them civilians. He accused the US of being complicit in the attacks and said it shared full responsibility for the consequences. Israeli UN envoy Danny Danon said intelligence had confirmed that within days Iran would have produced enough fissile material for multiple bombs. He called Israel's operation "an act of national preservation". The UN nuclear watchdog concluded this week that Iran was in violation of its obligations under the global non-proliferation treaty. US President Donald Trump said it was not too late for Tehran to halt the Israeli bombing campaign by reaching a deal on its nuclear program. Tehran had been in talks with the Trump administration on a deal to curb its nuclear program to replace one that Trump abandoned in 2018. Tehran rejected the last US offer. Talks are due to resume in Oman on Sunday but Iran signalled it might not join. Iran and Israel are targeting each other with missiles and air strikes after Israel launched its biggest-ever air offensive against its longtime foe in a bid to prevent it developing a nuclear weapon. Air raid sirens sounded in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem early on Saturday, sending residents rushing into shelters as successive waves of Iranian missiles streaked across the skies. The military said its air defence systems were operating. "In the last hour, dozens of missiles have been launched at the state of Israel from Iran, some of which were intercepted," the Israeli military said. It said rescue teams were working at a number of locations across the country where fallen projectiles were reported. In Iran, several explosions were heard in the capital Tehran. The Fars news agency said two projectiles hit Tehran's Mehrabad airport, which hosts an air force base. Israeli media said a suspected missile came down in Tel Aviv, and a Reuters witness heard a loud boom in Jerusalem. The Fars news agency said Tehran launched waves of air strikes on Saturday after two salvos on Friday night. One of the waves targeted Tel Aviv before dawn on Saturday, with explosions heard in the capital and Jerusalem, witnesses said. Those were in response to Israel's attacks on Iran early on Friday against commanders, nuclear scientists, military targets and nuclear sites. Israel's ambulance service said 34 people were injured on Friday night in the Tel Aviv area, most with minor injuries. Police later said one person had died. The US military helped shoot down Iranian missiles headed for Israel on Friday, two US officials said. Israel's military said Iran fired fewer than 100 missiles on Friday and most were intercepted or fell short. Several buildings in and around Tel Aviv were hit. The Israeli strikes on Iran throughout the day and the Iranian retaliation raised fears of a broader regional conflagration, although Iran's allies Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon have been decimated by Israel. Iran's state news agency IRNA said Tehran launched hundreds of ballistic missiles at Israel after Israel blasted Iran's huge Natanz underground nuclear site and killed its top military commanders. Iran denies that its uranium enrichment activities are part of a secret weapons program, saying its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes. Western countries have long accused Iran of refining uranium at Natanz to levels suitable for a bomb rather than civilian use. The above-ground pilot enrichment plant at Natanz had been destroyed, UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi told the Security Council. He said the UN was still gathering information about Israeli attacks on the Fordow fuel enrichment plant and a facility at Isfahan. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused Israel of starting a war, and a senior Iranian official said revenge would be painful. Iran's UN envoy Amir Saeid Iravani said 78 people, including senior military officials, were killed in Israel's strikes on Iran and more than 320 people were wounded, most of them civilians. He accused the US of being complicit in the attacks and said it shared full responsibility for the consequences. Israeli UN envoy Danny Danon said intelligence had confirmed that within days Iran would have produced enough fissile material for multiple bombs. He called Israel's operation "an act of national preservation". The UN nuclear watchdog concluded this week that Iran was in violation of its obligations under the global non-proliferation treaty. US President Donald Trump said it was not too late for Tehran to halt the Israeli bombing campaign by reaching a deal on its nuclear program. Tehran had been in talks with the Trump administration on a deal to curb its nuclear program to replace one that Trump abandoned in 2018. Tehran rejected the last US offer. Talks are due to resume in Oman on Sunday but Iran signalled it might not join.
