With Israel targeting Hezbollah in Lebanon and intensifying its attack in Gaza against Hamas, Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei threatened Tel Aviv and the United States with a "crushing response".
Though the supreme leader did not give the details of the time or date of the attack, Khamenei said, "The enemies, whether the Zionist regime or the United States...will definitely receive a crushing response to what they are doing to Iran...and to the resistance front."
Khamenei's response comes as Iranian officials are increasingly threatening to launch yet another strike against Israel after its October 26 attack that targeted its military bases and killed at least five people.
With Israel’s attack against Iran’s allies increasing, Khamenei has changed his earlier tone.
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Earlier, Khamenei, on a cautious note, asked the Iranian military to "prepare for war" after assessing the severity of Israel's attacks.
He had said that Iran would not retaliate if Israel limited its attacks to a few military bases or warehouses storing missiles and drones. While, he maintained a stand that if Israel strikes its oil and energy infrastructure or nuclear facilities or if it assassinates senior officials, it will retaliate.
He had also said that Israel's attack should not be exaggerated nor downplayed.
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Any further escalation from either side could deepen the Middle East tensions.
Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes on Friday killed at least 52 people in Lebanon.
The Axis of Resistance--Iran's allies have been severely hurt by the ongoing Israeli attacks. Experts opine that the groups want Iran to 'act' more and back them militarily.
However, the newly imposed sanctions have weakened Iran's economy and the country is struggling to recover.
Gen Mohammad Ali Naini, a spokesperson for Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard has said that the country's response "will be wise, powerful and beyond the enemy's comprehension".