Netanyahu Vows To 'Make Iran Pay' For Airstrikes: 'They Don't Understand Our Determination'

Netanyahu also referred to the terror attack in Jaffa that killed 7 people on Tuesday night, saying there was 'a murderous guiding hand behind' it.

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that Iran would "pay" for its missile attack against Israel, which occurred on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Tehran said any retaliation would be met with "vast destruction".

Iran made a “big mistake tonight", said Netanyahu at the opening of the security cabinet meeting in Jerusalem after the attack. He said the same thing in a post on X. "Iran made a big mistake tonight — and it will pay for it."

Netanyahu also referred to the terror attack in Jaffa that killed 7 people on Tuesday night.

"Citizens of Israel, at the start of my remarks, I send condolences to the families of those who were murdered in the abhorrent terrorist attack in Jaffa and my best wishes for a quick recovery to the wounded. As in the missile attack, there was also a murderous guiding hand behind this terrorist attack — it came from Tehran," he said through his official X account.

According to a report by The Times Of Israel, Netanyahu claimed that Iran's strike had “failed”. He said it was thwarted by Israel’s air defence system, “which is the most advanced in the world”. He also thanked the US for its support. While addressing the cabinet, he said the Iranian regime “does not understand our determination to defend ourselves and our determination to retaliate against our enemies”.

As per the report, he said “[Hamas leader Yahya] Sinwar and [top Hamas military commander Mohammed] Deif did not understand this, [Hezbollah leader Hassan] Nasrallah and [Hezbollah chief of staff Fuad] Shukr did not understand this, and there are probably those in Tehran who do not understand this.”

“They will understand,” he added, stressing that “whoever attacks us — we will attack him”.

He called for “forces of light in the world” to unite against Tehran, reported The Times Of Israel. Netanyahu said they must stand by Israel, adding that the choice had never been clearer “between tyranny and freedom, between blessing and curse".

On Tuesday night, Iran fired about 180 ballistic missiles at Israel in retaliation for its campaign against Hezbollah and Hamas, and the killing of the groups' top leaders, including Hezbollah's Hassan Nasrallah.

In a statement, Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corp (IRGC) said the attack was also in response to Israel's assassination in July of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.