‘Shouldn’t be exaggerated or downplayed’: Iran’s supreme leader on Israeli strikes skips call for retaliation

IranThe Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei During his speech, he refrained from talking about retaliation IsraelHe said of the recent attack on Iranian targets that the incident “should not be exaggerated or downplayed.”
His comments come as tensions between the two nations rise following Israel’s airstrikes on Saturday in response to Iran’s rocket fire earlier this month.
“The evil actions of the Israeli regime two nights ago should neither be exaggerated nor downplayed,” Khamenei said.
“The Israeli regime’s misjudgments must be broken. It is important to make them understand the strength, will and initiative of the Iranian nation and its youth,” he added.
While Khamenei refrained from making a direct call for retaliation, he emphasized Iran’s ability to assert its influence.
Iran’s military and political figures have followed this strategic caution, indicating that regional ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon take precedence over immediate retaliation. State media reported that four Iranian soldiers were killed in the airstrikes.
On Saturday, Israeli warplanes launched targeted attacks on military sites in Iran, responding to a ballistic missile attack by Iran earlier this month. Israeli officials clarified anonymously that the attacks bypassed nuclear and oil infrastructure and instead focused on “precise attacks on military targets.”
The first Iranian missile strike was reportedly in retaliation against recent Israeli operations against Hezbollah forces in Lebanon.
Although the United States was previously aware of the Israeli attacks, it has publicly distanced itself from involvement.
As Iran’s influence expands to include militant allies like Hezbollah, Hamasand Yemen’s Houthi rebels, the attack has raised fears about the possibility of a regional conflict that could escalate into an all-out war between Israel, the U.S. and Iranian-backed forces.