Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed to get back at Israel for a recent airstrike in Syria that took the lives of high-ranking military leaders.
He said on Tuesday that Israel would face consequences for the attack on the Iranian embassy in Damascus, where members of the Revolutionary Guards were killed, including two generals.
This incident and the strong words have sparked worries that the conflict between Israel and Gaza could lead to a larger and more intense conflict in the region.
“The evil Zionist regime will be punished at the hands of our brave men. We will make them regret this crime and the other ones,” Khamenei said in a message published on his official website.
The statement came as Iranian state television reported that the death toll from the attack on the consulate building has risen to 13, including seven Iranians and six Syrian citizens.
Earlier, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi declared that the “cowardly crime will not go unanswered.”
“Having failed to destroy the will of the resistance front, the Zionist regime [Israel] has put blind assassinations back on its agenda to save itself,” he said.
Hezbollah, the Iran-affiliated armed group that has been swapping attacks with Israel across the border with Lebanon since the start of Israel’s war on Gaza, joined in, warning that the attack on the Iranian diplomatic premises “will not pass without the enemy receiving punishment and revenge”.
Heavy price
Israel has not admitted to carrying out the attack in Syria that destroyed the consular building near its embassy in Damascus on Monday night. However, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant spoke boldly on Tuesday, although he didn’t directly mention Iran.
He said that Israel is actively engaged in both offensive and defensive actions on various fronts.
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Gallant emphasized that Israel works continuously to stop its enemies from getting stronger and to send a clear message to anyone who acts against Israel in the Middle East. He warned that those who take action against Israel will face significant consequences.
A Tough Reply
The recent attack has made things more complex in the Middle East, where tensions have been high since the Gaza war started in October.
Iran has been trying to avoid a direct fight with Israel but supports its allies who have clashed with Israeli and US forces. However, there are concerns that this latest incident could lead to even bigger conflicts.
“If Iran doesn’t respond strongly enough, many here believe it will be seen as a sign of weakness, not only to Israel and the United States, but also to a number of its proxies in the region,” reports Al Jazeera’s Dorsa Jabbari from Tehran.
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“If Iran does react strongly, it could risk a full-out confrontation with the US,” she adds. “It’s really a tricky moment.”
Amid the tension, the UN Security Council is set to discuss the situation in a special session requested by Russia, an ally of both Syria and Iran.
China has condemned the attack, insisting that the security of diplomatic institutions “cannot be violated”. The EU, meanwhile, has called on all parties to show restraint.
However, Jabbari suggested that “the rhetoric coming from Iranian officials, as well as the supreme leader, indicates there will be a strong response”.
