Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a grave warning on Friday night, declaring that Israel has “started a war” following its unprecedented airstrikes on Iranian soil. In a fiery televised statement, Khamenei promised that Tehran would respond “without mercy” after Israeli forces targeted the Natanz nuclear facility and killed several high-ranking Iranian military commanders.
The retaliatory exchange has pushed tensions in the Middle East to alarming levels, with Iran firing ballistic missiles at Israeli cities, including Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, in what may be the most intense direct confrontation between the two nations in decades.
Iran Responds with Missile Barrage After Israeli Airstrikes
Khamenei’s remarks came shortly after Iran launched hundreds of ballistic missiles towards Israel in retaliation for “Operation Rising Lion,” an Israeli air campaign that struck deep into Iran. According to Iranian state media IRNA, Israel’s attack damaged critical infrastructure at the underground Natanz nuclear site and claimed the lives of top military officials within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Life will definitely become bitter for the Zionists.
— Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) June 13, 2025
“Don’t think that they hit and it’s over. No. They started the work and started the war,” Khamenei said. “We will not allow them to escape safely from this great crime they committed.”
Explosions rocked Jerusalem and Tel Aviv late Friday night as air raid sirens blared across Israel. The Israeli military confirmed that Iran had fired multiple salvos of missiles, though it claimed the majority were intercepted or fell short of their targets.
ALSO READ: Israel Destroys Iran’s Natanz Nuclear Site, Confirms UN Nuclear Chief
Netanyahu: Iran Will Pay a Heavy Price
In a swift response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the Iranian regime “weak” and vowed that Israel would continue its military operations.
“Our message is clear: If you threaten Israel’s existence, you will pay a heavy price. Iran has brought this upon itself,” Netanyahu said in a televised address.
He emphasized that Israel’s campaign was aimed at degrading Iran’s nuclear capabilities and dismantling what he called a “terrorist infrastructure of aggression.”
Rising Risk of Regional War
The flare-up marks a dangerous escalation in the longstanding shadow war between Israel and Iran. While both nations have engaged in proxy confrontations across Syria, Lebanon, and Gaza for years, this latest exchange involves direct state-on-state military action, raising fears of a broader regional conflict.
Analysts warn that the situation could spiral further, even as Iran’s main allies in the region, including Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza, are significantly weakened following Israeli offensives in recent months.
Iran’s Supreme Leader did not hold back in his rhetoric, promising to deliver a “bitter and painful fate” to the “Zionist regime.”
“With this crime, Israel has unleashed its wicked and bloody hand against Iran,” Khamenei said. “We will strike decisively. Tel Aviv will face the consequences and could be left in ruins.”
World Reacts to Growing Tensions
The United Nations and several global powers have called for immediate de-escalation. However, neither Israel nor Iran appears ready to back down. The U.S. has urged restraint, while also reiterating its support for Israel’s right to defend itself.
Middle East observers say that both nations are now locked in a dangerous tit-for-tat that could drag neighboring countries into the conflict if diplomacy fails.
The coming days will be crucial in determining whether the current exchange is a prelude to a broader war or the peak of an isolated confrontation. For now, the people of Iran and Israel brace for further violence as leaders on both sides talk of vengeance and victory.
As Ayatollah Khamenei warned in his statement: “The Iranian nation must be guaranteed that our response will not be half-measured. The enemy will regret this act of aggression.”
ALSO READ: At Least 78 Killed, Over 300 Injured In Israeli Strikes: Iran Tells UN
