Major General Hossein Salami, Commander-in-Chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). file | Photo Credit: Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Reuters.
The top commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards has warned Israel that it will face “bitter consequences” after attacks on Iranian military sites, local media said on Monday (October 28, 2024).
Quote by Guards chief Hossein Salami Tasneem News AgencySaid that Israel “failed to achieve its ominous goals” with its air strikes on Saturday (October 26, 2024).
Israel attacked military sites in response to Tehran’s October 1 missile attack, which was retaliation for the killing of Iran-backed militant leaders and a Revolutionary Guard commander.
Mr Salami said the Israeli attack was a sign of “miscalculation and helplessness” as Israel battles Tehran-aligned militants in Gaza and Lebanon.
Mr Salami warned that “the bitter consequences of this would be unimaginable” for Israel. Tasneem,
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghai said on Monday (October 29, 2024) that Tehran “will respond firmly and effectively” to the deadly Israeli attacks on military sites over the weekend.
“We are using all available means to respond firmly and effectively to the aggression of the Zionist regime,” Mr Baghai said at a regular news conference.
“The nature of our response will depend on the nature of the attack.”
Iranian media have downplayed the seriousness of the Israeli operation, indicating what analysts say is the Islamic republic’s reluctance to escalate further.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Sunday (October 27, 2024) that the Israeli attack that killed four soldiers should “neither be exaggerated nor minimized”.
He described this as a “miscalculation” on Israel’s part.
President Massoud Pezeshkian said: “We do not want war but we will defend the rights of our nation and country.”
“Iran will respond appropriately to the aggression of the Zionist regime,” Mr. Pezeshkian said.
Also on Sunday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reiterated Iran’s “right to respond”, also saying that Tehran had “received signals” hours before Israel’s attack.
American news website axios on Saturday (October 26, 2024) said Israel had “sent a message to Iran” ahead of its attack and warned it “against retaliation.”
published – October 29, 2024 09:43 am IST