TEHRAN, June 23: In his first public response following recent U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Monday vowed to continue punishing Israel, which he referred to as the “Zionist enemy,” for what he called “a big crime.”
“The punishment continues. The Zionist enemy has made a big mistake, committed a big crime; it must be punished, and it is being punished; it is being punished right now,” Khamenei stated in a message posted on social media platform X.
The statement came in the wake of Israeli attacks launched on June 13, which targeted Iranian nuclear and military facilities. The strikes killed several senior commanders, nuclear scientists, and civilians, escalating tensions in the region. In retaliation, Iran has carried out missile and drone strikes on Israel.
According to the Iranian Health Ministry, more than 400 people have been killed and over 3,500 wounded in Iran so far. Israeli authorities have reported 24 fatalities as a result of the counterstrikes.
On Sunday night, a fresh Israeli drone strike in Iran’s Isfahan province killed three people traveling in an ambulance. The Governor of Najafabad county, Hamidreza Mohammadi Fesharaki, confirmed the vehicle was transporting a patient when it was hit, resulting in the deaths of the driver, patient, and a companion.
Despite mounting casualties, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed Israel’s commitment to continued operations in both Iran and Gaza. “We will not stop this historic operation before we achieve our goals,” he stated, dismissing fears of being dragged into a war of attrition.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Parliament has voted in favor of closing the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial global oil transit route, in response to the U.S. strikes under “Operation Midnight Hammer” targeting Isfahan, Fordow, and Natanz. Though non-binding, the vote advises Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, led by Khamenei, on potential retaliatory measures.
The U.S. military action, undertaken without Congressional approval, has drawn criticism from both domestic and international observers, raising concerns about unchecked escalation in the Middle East.
