Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a stern warning to Israel on Friday, promising it would suffer a “bitter and painful” outcome following a major Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. In an immediate counter-move, Iran launched over 100 drones toward Israel.
Israeli authorities informed the public early Friday that more than 100 drones had been fired from Iran and were en route to Israeli territory, cautioning citizens to remain near bomb shelters as the drones were expected to take hours to arrive.
Roughly three hours after the alert, the IDF Home Front Command canceled its directive to stay near shelters. No sirens were activated across the country, as Israeli defense systems successfully intercepted the drones before they entered Israeli airspace.
Later in the day, the IDF stated it had “control over the situation,” though it stopped short of confirming the total destruction of all incoming drones. In the meantime, safety restrictions remained in place, including school closures, work disruptions, and bans on public gatherings.
Khamenei, speaking through Iran’s official IRNA news agency, accused Israel of “opening its wicked and blood-stained hand to a crime in our beloved country, revealing its malicious nature more than ever by striking residential centers.”
This statement followed reports that Israel’s strikes had eliminated several high-ranking Iranian military officials, including the armed forces’ chief of staff, key commanders in the Revolutionary Guards, and top scientists in the country’s nuclear program.
“With this crime, the Zionist regime has set itself up for a bitter and painful fate and it will definitely receive it,” Khamenei declared.
In response, Tehran emphasized its intention to push forward with its nuclear and missile initiatives, framing Israel’s actions as validation of Iran’s military ambitions.
“One should not speak to such a predatory regime except in the language of power,” the Iranian government said. “The world now better understands Iran’s insistence on the right to enrichment, nuclear technology, and missile power.”
Speaking to Fox News anchor Bret Baier on Friday, President Donald Trump confirmed that he had been briefed in advance about the Israeli military operation, which reportedly involved 200 Israeli fighter jets.
Trump was quoted as saying that Iran “cannot have a nuclear bomb,” according to Baier.
The U.S. government clarified on Friday that it had no role in the Israeli strike and issued a warning to Iran not to retaliate against American interests or personnel.
Nevertheless, Iranian officials insisted that the U.S. bore responsibility, claiming that the scale and complexity of Israel’s action indicated that it “cannot have been carried out without the coordination and permission of the United States.”
Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi, a spokesperson for the Iranian armed forces, told state television that both Israel and the United States would face serious repercussions, stating they would “pay a heavy price” for the attacks.
{Matzav.com}
