The Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, vowed on Friday that Iran’s regional allies would continue their fight against Israel, following the country’s missile strike on its adversary. In a rare public address, Khamenei defended Iran’s actions and reiterated support for groups like Hezbollah, who are engaged in escalating hostilities with Israeli forces.
The speech came ahead of the first anniversary of the October 7 attack by Hamas on Israel, which triggered the ongoing war in Gaza. Khamenei praised Hamas for its “fierce defence” and justified its actions as logical and legal. The initial Hamas assault led to the deaths of 1,205 people and has since drawn both condemnation and support from Iran-backed groups such as Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Yemen’s Huthi rebels.
Fighting has intensified between Israeli forces and Hezbollah militants along the Israel-Lebanon border, with Hezbollah reporting ongoing clashes. The conflict has displaced hundreds of thousands in Lebanon, already suffering from economic hardship.
Khamenei warned that the resistance in the region would not back down and dismissed Israel as a malicious regime that would not endure long. His remarks follow a missile strike on Israel earlier in the week, which Iran labelled as retribution for the assassination of key Hezbollah figures, including their leader Hassan Nasrallah.
In response, Israel has ramped up its military strikes on Hezbollah positions in Lebanon, killing over 1,110 people and forcing many to flee. The Israeli military claims to have hit more than 2,000 Hezbollah targets and inflicted heavy casualties, including the killing of senior commanders.
Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden urged Israel not to retaliate by targeting Iran’s oil facilities, though he has supported Israel’s right to defend itself. The conflict shows no signs of de-escalation, with Hezbollah and Israel exchanging rocket fire, further destabilising the region.
The United Nations and humanitarian organisations have expressed concern over the worsening humanitarian crisis, with the number of civilian casualties in Gaza exceeding 41,800 according to local health authorities. MSF (Doctors Without Borders) has condemned the international community’s lack of action, describing the situation as “scandalous.”