Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, responded cautiously to recent Israeli strikes, which hit various military locations in Iran, leading to the death of at least four soldiers. Khamenei stated that the attacks should neither be “exaggerated or downplayed” and refrained from pledging immediate retaliation. He remarked, “It is up to the authorities to determine how to convey the power and will of the Iranian people to the Israeli regime and to take actions that serve the interests of this nation and country.”
In a cabinet meeting, President Masoud Pezeshkian mirrored Khamenei’s tone, asserting that Iran does not seek war yet would “give an appropriate response” while defending its citizens. He stated, “We do not seek war, but we will defend the rights of our nation and country.”
Israel initiated its attack in response to a prior Iranian strike involving nearly 200 ballistic missiles fired toward Israel on October 1. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu explained that the strike aimed at debilitating Iran’s air defenses and missile production, which he claimed had been severely compromised. “The attack was precise and powerful and achieved its goals,” Netanyahu remarked, during a ceremony for victims of last October’s attacks by Hamas. He added, “This regime must understand a simple principle: whoever hurts us, we hurt him.”
Iranian officials have publicly minimized the impact, claiming most missiles were intercepted and asserting that any damage was limited to air defense systems. This cautious tone from Khamenei marks a shift from his previously incendiary rhetoric, where he has historically threatened to “flatten Haifa and Tel Aviv” or retaliate multiple times over if Israel initiated an attack. His decision to delegate responsibility to “authorities” reflects an uncharacteristic move, given his role as commander-in-chief with longstanding authority over significant decisions in Iran. Analysts suggest this could be a strategy to deflect blame if a forceful retaliation fails to deliver a significant impact or backfires.
Israel’s attacks also came under certain limitations, as it appeared to avoid targeting Iran’s oil and nuclear facilities, likely due to U.S. intervention. The Iranian Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, confirmed that Iran had been alerted about a potential attack shortly before it occurred, stating, “We had received indications since the evening about the possibility of an attack that night.” Further, Western nations have urged both sides to exercise restraint to prevent an escalation that could spiral into a larger regional conflict.
The domestic response in Iran has included coverage by local media depicting everyday life proceeding as usual, likely to convey resilience and downplay the strike’s effects. This portrayal is interpreted by analysts as a way to reassure the Iranian public and maintain national morale in the face of mounting tensions.
Meanwhile, the broader regional conflict continues, with Israel also engaged in active clashes with Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Palestinian group Hamas in Gaza. An Israeli air strike in Sidon, southern Lebanon, killed at least eight people, according to local sources. Additionally, Lebanese authorities reported that at least 21 fatalities resulted from Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon on Sunday alone.
In Gaza, the situation remains dire as well, with nine people reported dead in an Israeli strike on a school-turned-shelter in the al-Shati refugee camp. Palestinian media indicated that three of those killed were journalists, a detail confirmed by both local officials and the Reuters news agency.
The toll of violence extended into Israel, where a suspected terror attack took place, killing one and injuring over 30 individuals at a bus stop near a military base outside Tel Aviv. Authorities suspect a deliberate vehicle assault in this incident.
In a diplomatic intervention, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi proposed a two-day ceasefire in Gaza, which includes the release of four Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian detainees. Al-Sisi suggested that following such a temporary halt, talks aimed at a longer-lasting resolution could resume within 10 days. Yet, Sami Abu Zuhri, a senior Hamas official, reiterated Hamas’s conditions, insisting that a meaningful ceasefire would only occur with a full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and an expansive prisoner exchange. “Any agreement that does not guarantee these conditions holds no value,” he asserted, reiterating Hamas’s stance.
Israel’s ongoing operations against Hamas are rooted in its response to the group’s unprecedented assault on October 7, 2023, which led to around 1,200 deaths and resulted in 251 Israeli hostages. Since then, casualties have mounted, with more than 42,924 people reported dead in Gaza, according to the health ministry operated by Hamas.