Khamenei Says Iran, Allies ‘Won’t Back Down’, Calls Tuesday Missile Attack On Israel ‘Legitimate’ — Top Points
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had ordered a missile attack on Israel, in retaliation to Nasrallah’s killing in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut last Friday.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei led a rare Friday prayer sermon in Tehran to commemorate the death of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah. During the sermon he said that Iran and its regional allies will not back down from Israel and called upon Muslim nations to "fasten seatbelt" of resistance.
This comes after an Israeli strike hit Beirut, which is said to have been carried out in a bid to target the next Hezbollah chief. Hashem Safieddine, Hassan Nasrallah's brother, was reportedly killed in the strike. He was supposed to take over the Iran-backed armed group's leadership after Nasrallah was slain last month. On Tuesday, Khamenei had also ordered a missile attack on Israel, in retaliation to Nasrallah’s killing in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut last Friday.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah said it shelled Israeli troops in a border area of south Lebanon. The Iran-backed Lebanese military group said its fighters targeted "Israeli enemy troops in the Maroun al-Ras plain with artillery," AFP reported.
Here's what has happened so far:
- Iran's Supreme leader addressed a rare sermon at Tehran's Grand Mosque, where thousands of people had gathered waving Lebanese and Palestinian flags. A large poster of Nasrallah was also seen among the sea of followers at the mosque.
- State television showed women and men chanting, with some people waving Hezbollah flags and holding posters of both Nasrallah and Soleimani, CNN reported.
- The last time Khamenei led similar Friday prayers was five years ago to commemorate the death of the commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Qasem Soleimani, who was killed by the US in an airstrike at Baghdad International Airport.
- Stressing that Iran and its allies would not back down, Khamenei said: "Israel will never defeat Hamas and Hezbollah". Khamenei also accused the US of seeking to control regional resources via Israel regime.
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He urged Muslims around the world to "unite" based on the principles of Quran against their common enemy Israel. "The policies adopted by our enemy is to sow the seeds of division and sedition, to drive a wedge among all the Muslims. They are the same enemies to the Palestinians, Lebanese, Egyptians, and the Iraqis. They are the enemy to the Yemeni and Syrian people," Khamenei said.
- He lauded Iran for the attack on Israel on Tuesday and declared that Iran would attack Israel again "if need be". He also said that the Tuesday attack was the "least punishment". "The brilliant action of our armed forces a couple of nights ago was completely legal and legitimate," Khamenei said.
Iran had launched around 200 ballistic missiles at Israel on Tuesday, in response to the Israeli airstrikes that killed Hassan Nasrallah among other Hezbollah leaders. - A large portion of his speech was reportedly dedicated to Hassan Nasrallah. Furthermore, he also praised Hamas' October 7 attack on Israel calling it "legitimate".
"The people of Palestine have the right — in the face of the enemy who has taken over their land, their home, their farms and impacted their life — to stand up for themselves," CNN quoted him as saying.
- Beirut's southern suburb of Dahiye, which is said to be a stronghold of Hezbollah, was hit by Israeli strikes again on Thursday midnight. These raids targeted the rumoured successor of Hezbollah in an underground bunker. Although his fate remains unclear, reports say he was slain. Neither Israeli military nor Hezbollah have made any comments on Safieddine's fate.
- ABP News also reached southern Beirut Ground Zero where Israel attacked the Hezbollah hideout. A large crater was formed where the Israeli rockets struck and the active shells exploded even after the strike. (Read full report here)
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- Israel Defence Forces on Friday claimed that the Commander of Hezbollah’s Communications Unit, Mohammad Rashid Sakafi, was killed during the Beirut strike on Thursday.
🔴Mohammad Rashid Sakafi, the Commander of Hezbollah’s Communications Unit, during a precise, intelligence-based strike in Beirut yesterday.
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 4, 2024
Sakafi was a senior Hezbollah terrorist, who was responsible for the communications unit since 2000. Sakafi invested significant efforts… pic.twitter.com/PH65nh5FLI - As tensions continue to simmer in the Middle east, United States, the European Union, and other allies called for an immediate 21-day ceasefire in the Israel-Lebanon conflict.
- US President Joe Biden said that he doesn't believe that the situation would escalate into an "all-out war" in the region. He also said that the US was discussing options with Israel on ways to respond to Tehran's Tuesday assault. Biden said on Thursday that Israel could strike Iran's oil facilities. He also said that he would not negotiate in public, when asked if he would advise Israel against attacking Iran's oil installations.
- These remarks triggered a global surge in oil prices as traders got worried about the potential oil supply disruptions in case Israel attacks Iran's facilities.
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