The announcement from Tehran came after Iran launched some 180 missiles at Israel on Tuesday, and follows a series of escalating attacks between the two countries, threatening to push the Middle East closer to a region-wide war.
Iran’s supreme leader on Friday praised the missile attack it launched on Israel earlier in the week, asserting Tehran was ready to do so again if necessary, according to state TV reports.
While Iran claimed most of its missiles hit their targets, Israel said it had intercepted many of the missiles. While no immediate casualties were reported, Israel vowed to retaliate.
Officials in Washington revealed that US destroyers had assisted in Israel’s defence, as did the UK defence ministry, but it remains unclear what their participation entailed.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called the missile strike a “shining” job by Iran’s armed forces as he made his first appearance as leader in around five years at Friday prayers.
The 85-year-old called Hamas’ 7 October attack a legitimate action by the Palestinian people in a 40-minute speech delivered to thousands of people at the Mosalla mosque.
He stated that Tuesday’s missile barrage was based on international law, as well as the country’s law and Islamic beliefs. He urged nations from “Afghanistan to Yemen and from Iran to Gaza and Yemen” to be ready to take action against what he said was “the enemy”.
Khamenei went on to praise those who had died doing so, “our resisting people in Lebanon and Palestine, you brave fighters, you loyal and patient people, these martyrdoms and the blood that was shed shouldn’t shake your determination but make you more persistent,” he said.
Giving half of the speech in Arabic as he addressed his comments to Arab nations and not his native Persian, this was Khamenei’s first appearance at Friday prayers since the death of Iranian Revolutionary Guard General Qassem Soleimani, killed in 2020 by a US drone strike in Baghdad.
A ceremony commemorating the death of Lebanese Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed by Israeli forces, was held before Khamenei’s speech. Iran is Hezbollah’s main backer and has sent weapons and billions of dollars to the group.
Most high-ranking Iranian officials, including President Masoud Pezeshkian and top Revolutionary Guard generals, attended the ceremony.
On Friday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Beirut where he was expected to discuss ongoing fighting between Israel and Hezbollah with Lebanese officials.
Foreign ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei announced that Iran sent a shipment of aid, which included 10 tonnes of food and medicine to Lebanon.
Additional sources • AP