Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned of a response to Israel, calling it a tremendous crime on the 23rd local time.
On X (formerly Twitter), Khamenei stated that the “Zionist enemy, namely Israel, made a grave mistake and committed a tremendous crime,” and added that “they must be punished and are currently being punished.”
Khamenei also shared a photo of a skull with the “Star of David,” representing Israel, embedded on its forehead in the same post.
This remark is Khamenei’s first official reaction following the U.S. airstrike on Iran’s nuclear facilities, made public approximately 24 hours after the surprise attack.
The reaction did not directly mention the United States.
On the 22nd, the U.S. conducted swift airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities, including Fordow, drawing keen attention to what measures Iran might take in retaliation.