Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Israel’s attack on Iran: ‘Neither be exaggerated nor downplayed’

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, said on Sunday that Israel’s attack on the country should neither be exaggerated nor downplayed. He, however, said the “miscalculations of the Israeli regime must be disrupted”.

“The evil actions of the Israeli regime two nights ago should neither be exaggerated nor downplayed. The miscalculations of the Israeli regime must be disrupted. It is essential to make them understand the strength, will, and initiative of the Iranian nation and its youth,” he said.

He said Iran reserves the right to respond to Israel’s aggression.

“It is up to the authorities to determine how to convey the power and will of the Iranian people to the Israeli regime and to take actions that serve the interests of this nation and country,” he added. Iran on Saturday played down Israel’s overnight air attack against Iranian military targets, saying it caused only limited damage.

Scores of Israeli jets completed three waves of strikes before dawn against missile factories and other sites near Tehran and in western Iran, Israel’s military said. Iran yesterday warned Israel that it would defend itself. Israel said Tehran would pay a heavy price if it retaliated.

The United States, Germany and Britain demanded Tehran not escalate the conflict further. US President Joe Biden said he hoped “this is the end” after the pre-dawn Israeli strikes, noting that “it looks like they didn’t hit anything other than military targets”.

The European Union called for all parties to exercise utmost restraint to avoid an “uncontrollable escalation”. Iran said the strikes killed four soldiers but caused limited damage. It further said it was prioritising peace in Gaza and Lebanon.

“While reserving its legal and legitimate right to respond at the appropriate moment, Iran is prioritising the establishment of a lasting ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon,” it added. Israel’s attack came weeks after Iran fired around 200 missiles in only the second-ever direct attack against its arch-nemesis.

Israel has been fighting protracted wars against Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. The conflicts were triggered by Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel in which over 1200 people were killed. Thousands of civilians have been killed in Gaza and Lebanon in Israeli strikes since then.