Iran Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on Saturday, November 2, threatened both Israel and its allied partner, the United States, with a "crushing response" if attacks on Iran and its allies continue. Khamenei's statement comes amid rising conflicts in the Middle East, as alleged ongoing genocide of Israel in Gaza and operations in Lebanon.
Khamenei, in a video released by Iranian state media, said, "The enemies, whether the Zionist regime or the United States of America, will definitely receive a crushing response to what they are doing to Iran and the Iranian nation and to the resistance front."
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Khamenei, however, did not specify where and how Iran would attack, leaving questions about the timings and scale of any potential defence. This escalation follows an October 26 attack by the Israeli military on Iranian military bases, which reportedly killed at least five people. Israeli officials indicated that their strikes targeted military facilities and avoided nuclear and oil infrastructure in Iran.
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This attack from Israel was allegedly in response to an Iranian ballistic missile strike earlier this month, which Iran described as retaliation for Israeli actions against Hezbollah in Lebanon. While the US was informed of Israel's intentions beforehand, it has publicly distanced itself from any direct involvement.