Khamenei vows harsh response to Israeli strikes, calls attack a 'bitter and painful destiny'

New Delhi, June 13: Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, has vowed severe retaliation after overnight Israeli airstrikes targeted multiple cities across Iran, including the capital, Tehran, killing senior military officials, scientists, and civilians, reports IRNA.

In a televised address to the nation on Friday morning, Ayatollah Khamenei stated that the attacks marked a turning point. “A crime was committed in our dear country, and the aggressors revealed their wicked nature by striking residential areas,” he said. “They should now await a harsh punishment.”

The Supreme Leader confirmed the deaths of several commanders and nuclear scientists in the strikes, but pledged continuity in Iran’s military and scientific leadership. “Their successors and colleagues will immediately carry forward their work,” he said. “These actions have sealed a bitter and painful destiny for the aggressors. They will undoubtedly face the consequences,” he added.

Israel last night launched dozens of airstrikes under what it has called Operation Rising Lion, hitting military and nuclear facilities, as well as some residential areas in and around Tehran and other cities reports regional media. Images from Iranian news outlets showed damaged buildings, with reports of civilian casualties, including women and children.

Early Friday, residents across Israel were woken by sirens and emergency alerts, warning of a “significant threat” and urging people to remain near shelters. The entire region now awaits Iran’s likely retaliation. This latest escalation marks the most intense exchange between the two regional rivals in years. In April, Iran launched a barrage of drones and missiles in response to earlier Israeli attacks, prompting a limited counterstrike. In recent months, Israel has also targeted Iranian-linked figures across the region, including in Lebanon and Syria.

A spokesperson for Iran’s armed forces accused Israel of carrying out the strikes with American support; however, Americans claim they have no role to play. The scale of this assault, has shocked many Iranians. Tehran has not seen direct strikes of this nature since the 1980s Iran-Iraq War. As tensions surge, political observers warn that a broader and more destructive conflict could erupt, drawing in regional proxy forces and threatening wider instability.