Iran's Supreme Leader Defends Strike On Israel As 'Minimum Punishment'

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Friday said the ballistic missile attack on Israel earlier this week for killing a Hezbollah leader was "legal," saying the bombardment was the "minimum punishment" for Israel's crimes.

"The brilliant action of our armed forces a couple of nights ago was completely legal and legitimate," Khamenei said of Iran's launching 200 ballistic missiles on Israel on Tuesday.

Khamenei, 80, delivering the Friday morning sermon at Tehran's Khomeini Grand Mosque, said Iran will not "procrastinate nor act hastily to carry out its duty" to confront Israel.

"It will be done in the future again if it becomes necessary," he said during the roughly 40 minute address.

Khamenei last delivered the Friday prayer in 2020 after Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani was killed in a U.S. drone attack near Baghdad's airport.

It comes three days after Iran launched a fusillade of rockets at Israel in retaliation for the killings of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and Iran Revolutionary Guard Gen. Abbas Nilforoushan in an airstrike last week in Beirut.

Israel's air defense systems intercepted most of the missiles launched by Israel.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to respond, saying Iran "will pay for it."

President Joe Biden said that the U.S. would not support Israel's targeting Iran's nuclear facilities, but left open the possibility of striking the country's oil reserves.

"And I think there's things — we'll be discussing with the Israelis what they're going to do, but they all seven of us agree that they have a right to respond, but they should respond in proportion," the president said on Wednesday, referring to the leaders of the Group of Seven.