Iranian Supreme Leader comments on Israeli strikes, urging balanced assessment

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei offered a measured reaction to Israeli strikes on the nation, stating that the assault ought not to be “exaggerated or downplayed” and refraining from pledging immediate reprisal. President Masoud Pezeshkian declared that Iran would “give an appropriate response” to the attack, which resulted in the deaths of at least four soldiers, further noting that Tehran was not pursuing war. Israel confirmed it had targeted military locations in various Iranian regions on Saturday, in response to Iranian assaults, which included a volley of nearly 200 ballistic missiles launched at Israel on 1 October. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on Sunday that Israel had incapacitated Iranian air defense and missile manufacturing systems. He asserted that the strikes had “severely damaged Iran’s defence capability and its ability to produce missiles.” Netanyahu remarked, “The attack was precise and powerful and achieved its goals,” during a ceremony honoring the victims of the Hamas attacks on 7 October of the previous year. He added, “This regime must understand a simple principle: whoever hurts us, we hurt him.” Iranian official sources have publicly minimized the effect of the attack, reporting that the majority of missiles were intercepted and any that were not caused only minor damage to air defense systems. Khamenei, in his initial public remarks following the attack, stated: “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.” His tone was considerably more restrained than his prior fervent and threatening rhetoric. Previously, he had issued threats to “flatten Haifa and Tel Aviv” if Israel attacked Iran, or to “hit Israel 10 times if they strike once”. Delegating responsibility to “authorities” is atypical for Khamenei, given his position as commander-in-chief. For the past 35 years, as supreme leader, he has consistently shaped significant political decisions, often diminishing the president’s role. This action might be an effort to prevent appearing indecisive by not responding forcefully, or to shift accountability should a retaliatory action prove unsuccessful. President Pezeshkian largely mirrored Khamenei’s statements, informing a cabinet meeting: “We do not seek war, but we will defend the rights of our nation and country.” The Israeli military actions were less extensive than anticipated by some observers. The US had publicly urged Netanyahu’s government to avoid targeting oil and nuclear facilities, counsel that Israel appeared to follow. On Sunday, the Iranian foreign minister stated that Iran had “received indications” of an imminent attack several hours prior to its occurrence. Abbas Araghchi informed reporters, “We had received indications since the evening about the possibility of an attack that night,” without providing further specifics. Western nations have, in turn, implored Iran to refrain from retaliation to halt the escalating cycle between the two Middle Eastern countries, which they are concerned could result in a full-scale regional conflict. Iranian media outlets have broadcast images depicting normal daily life and presented the “limited” damage as a triumph, a strategy analysts suggested was aimed at reassuring the Iranian populace. Combat operations persisted between Israel and the Iran-supported Hezbollah in Lebanon, as well as between Israel and the Palestinian armed faction Hamas in Gaza. An Israeli air strike on Sunday in the town of Sidon, located in southern Lebanon, resulted in the deaths of at least eight individuals, as reported by local authorities. Later on Sunday, Lebanon announced that Israeli strikes in the southern part of the nation had killed at least 21 people. In Gaza, an Israeli strike on a school converted into a shelter in the al-Shati refugee camp claimed the lives of nine people, according to Palestinian officials. Palestinian media and the Reuters news agency, citing government officials, reported that three of those killed were Palestinian journalists. Furthermore, in Israel, one man died and a minimum of 30 people sustained injuries when a truck collided with a bus stop close to an Israeli military installation north of Tel Aviv, an incident authorities described as a suspected terror attack. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Sunday put forward a proposal for a two-day ceasefire in Gaza, which would entail the exchange of four Israeli hostages for a number of Palestinian prisoners. He suggested that negotiations should recommence within 10 days of establishing this temporary ceasefire, with the objective of achieving a more lasting agreement. However, a senior Hamas official, speaking to the BBC’s Arabic Service, stated that the group’s conditions for a ceasefire – which Israel has rejected for months – remained unaltered. Sami Abu Zuhri affirmed that the Palestinian militant organization continued to insist on a comprehensive ceasefire, a complete Israeli pullout from Gaza, and a significant prisoner exchange agreement. He further added, “Any agreement that does not guarantee these conditions holds no value.” Israel initiated a campaign to dismantle Hamas following the group’s unparalleled assault on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, an event that resulted in approximately 1,200 fatalities and 251 individuals being taken captive. According to the Hamas-administered health ministry in the territory, over 42,924 people have died in Gaza since that time. Further reporting was contributed by Parham Ghobadi of BBC Persian. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites. Details on our external linking policy are available.