Iran’s supreme chief has claimed its missile assault on Israel was “fully legal and legitimate” – as he warned “it will be done in the future again if it becomes necessary”.
In a uncommon speech, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei additionally described the Hamas assault on Israel on 7 October as a “legitimate” act – and he urged Tehran’s allies to “double your efforts and capabilities” towards a “common enemy”.
Mr Khamenei had a rifle by his aspect as he gave his first tackle at Friday prayers in 5 years after Iran fired a barrage of a minimum of 180 missiles at Israel on Tuesday evening.
The strikes had been in retaliation for a sequence of Israeli strikes on Lebanon which killed Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah and different members of the militant group’s high command.
Hezbollah is designated a terror group by the UK, the US and different Western nations.
Mr Khamenei praised the Iranian retaliation in his tackle on Friday, telling these gathered on the Mosalla mosque in Tehran: “The shining job by our armed forces two or three nights ago was fully legal and legitimate.”
“It will be done in the future again if it becomes necessary,” he added.
The 85-year-old’s hand sometimes grasped the barrel of a rifle that stood to his left, a customized that has been adopted by Friday prayer leaders throughout the nation for many years.
Picture:
Iran’s supreme chief holds a weapon throughout his speech. Pic: WANA/Reuters
Iran stated it hit most of its targets on Tuesday however there have been no stories of casualties and Israel claimed it intercepted lots of the missiles.
The Iran assault was the most recent escalation as fears have grown of an all-out warfare within the area since Hamas carried out an assault on Israel in October final yr – killing round 1,200 folks and taking an additional 250 hostage.
Israel has responded by launching air and floor assaults in Gaza – with the Hamas-run well being ministry within the territory saying so way over 41,000 folks have been killed. The ministry would not differentiate between civilians and fighters.
In his 40-minute speech simply days away from the anniversary of the Hamas assault, Mr Khamenei stated the Palestinian militant group’s incursion was a “legitimate” motion and that “every country has the right to defend itself from aggressors”.
Picture:
A ceremony was held in Iran to commemorate killed Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah. Pic: WANA/Reuters
It’s not the primary time Mr Khamenei has praised the Hamas incursion, as shortly after the assault he stated Israel’s “own actions are to blame for this disaster”.
In his speech on Friday, Iran’s supreme chief urged nations from “Afghanistan to Yemen and from Iran to Gaza and Yemen” to be able to take motion towards Israel and praised those that had died doing so.
“Our resisting people in Lebanon and Palestine, you brave fighters, you loyal and patient people, these martyrdoms and the blood that was shed shouldn’t shake your determination but make you more persistent,” he stated.
Reflecting on the Iranian strikes on Israel, Mr Khamenei instructed Tehran’s allies in area: “We’re defending ourselves but we’re also defending you against a common enemy that through violence and terror seeks to destroy our way of life.”
Mr Khamenei additionally instructed Israel adversaries to “double your efforts and capabilities… and resist the aggressive enemy”.
A ceremony commemorating the dying of Nasrallah was held earlier than the supreme chief’s speech.
Most high-ranking Iranian officers, together with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and high Revolutionary Guard generals, attended the ceremony.
Please use Chrome browser for a extra accessible video participant
0:49
Second Israel intercepts Iranian drones
Mr Khamenei’s final look at Friday prayers was after the dying of Revolutionary Guard Basic Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in 2020 in a US drone strike in Baghdad.
Additionally on Friday, Iranian overseas minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Lebanon’s capital Beirut, the place he was anticipated to debate with Lebanese officers the continuing combating between Israel and Hezbollah.
Spreaker
This content material is supplied by Spreaker, which can be utilizing cookies and different applied sciences.
To point out you this content material, we want your permission to make use of cookies.
You need to use the buttons beneath to amend your preferences to allow Spreaker cookies or to permit these cookies simply as soon as.
You possibly can change your settings at any time through the Privateness Choices.
Sadly we’ve got been unable to confirm when you have consented to Spreaker cookies.
To view this content material you should utilize the button beneath to permit Spreaker cookies for this session solely.
Allow Cookies
Permit Cookies As soon as
In the meantime, Israel carried out a sequence of large air strikes in southern suburbs of Beirut in a single day and one other that lower off the primary border crossing between Lebanon and Syria, a crossing level for tens of hundreds of individuals fleeing Israeli bombardment.
Israel launched a floor incursion into Lebanon on Tuesday and its forces have been clashing with Hezbollah militants in a slender strip alongside the border.
Israel claims round 250 Hezbollah fighters have been killed for the reason that floor operation started, whereas a minimum of 10 Israeli troopers have died within the motion.
