In a national address early Friday, just hours after Israeli forces launched strikes on Tehran and other cities, Ayatollah Khamenei declared that the Zionist regime “should await a harsh response.”

“Addressing the great Iranian nation,” the Leader stated, “the Zionist regime has once again revealed its wicked nature by committing a crime on our soil, targeting residential areas.”

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He confirmed that several commanders and scientists were martyred in the attacks, adding that their missions would be swiftly continued by their successors.

“With this crime, the Zionist regime has written its own bitter fate — and it will certainly face the consequences,” he said.

The overnight Israeli strikes hit locations in and around Tehran, causing extensive damage. Images from the scene show residential buildings destroyed, with state media and eyewitnesses reporting civilian casualties, including women and children.