Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has vowed retribution against Israel as tensions in the region escalate following a major US strike on Iran's nuclear facilities. Taking to social media platform X, Khamenei pledged to intensify operations against Tel Aviv, while notably refraining from direct mention of the American attacks.
&ldquo;The punishment continues. The Zionist enemy has made a grave mistake, committed a major crime; it must be punished&mdash;and it is being punished. It is being punished right now,&rdquo; Khamenei declared via his official account.
His remarks came in the wake of the United States launching 'Operation Midnight Hammer', a significant military offensive targeting three key Iranian nuclear sites &mdash; Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan &mdash; on Sunday. The US deployed 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs, striking the mountain above the heavily fortified Fordow nuclear facility and the two other locations.
The strikes represent the most substantial Western military action against Iran since the Islamic Revolution of 1979, marking a dramatic escalation in an already volatile situation.
Iran has vowed to respond to what it describes as US aggression. President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned the attacks, stating that Washington must face consequences for its actions.
&ldquo;The Americans must receive a response to their aggression,&rdquo; Pezeshkian declared during a phone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron. He further criticised the US for jeopardising regional stability and violating Iran's sovereignty.
Speaking from the White House, US President Donald Trump defended the operation, asserting that the strikes were designed to "eliminate Iran's nuclear enrichment capacity" and to halt the "nuclear threat posed by the world's foremost state sponsor of terror."
&ldquo;Iran, the bully of the Middle East, must now choose peace. If they refuse, future attacks will be far greater and far easier,&rdquo; Trump warned.
In response, Iran has accused the US of breaching international law and violating the UN Charter. Tehran has called for an emergency session of the United Nations Security Council, stating it "reserves all options" to defend its sovereignty.
Iran's UN Ambassador, Amir Saeid Iravani, addressed the Security Council, accusing Israel and the United States of dismantling diplomatic efforts and manipulating the nuclear non-proliferation treaty for political ends.
&ldquo;Rather than safeguarding states' legitimate rights to peaceful nuclear energy, the treaty has been exploited as a pretext for aggression and unlawful acts that undermine my country's fundamental interests,&rdquo; Iravani told the Council.
UN Secretary-General Ant&oacute;nio Guterres condemned the strikes, describing them as a &ldquo;perilous turn&rdquo; in the ongoing crisis.
&ldquo;We must act immediately and decisively to halt the violence and return to serious, sustained negotiations on Iran's nuclear programme,&rdquo; Guterres urged.
The situation remains highly volatile, with international calls mounting for restraint and renewed diplomacy.

Khamenei vows to escalate action against Tel Aviv (File Photo)

The Zionist enemy made a grave mistake; it must and is being punished: Khamenei warns

‘Big Mistake’: Khamenei warns Israel, silent on US strike

The Zionist enemy made a grave mistake; it must and is being punished: Khamenei warns

June 23, 2025 | 09:28 IST