Israel responds to Iran's 'we will punish' statement: 'We will respond strongly to any attack'

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei made harsh statements regarding the Israeli administration, which continues its attacks on the Gaza Strip.

Making a statement on his social media account, Khamenei said, "The massacre carried out in Gaza throughout the month of Ramadan this year has saddened Muslims worldwide. Damn the usurping Zionist regime that did not stop its massacres against women, children, and defenseless people during the month of Ramadan, and even increased its crimes."

Stating that Israel's attack on the Iranian Consulate in Syria is considered an attack on Iranian soil, Khamenei said, "This malicious regime made a wrong move. It must be punished and it will be punished."

Emphasizing that everyone should feel responsible regarding Gaza, Khamenei stated, "The fact that the Palestinian issue has become the most important issue in London, Paris, and Washington is not a matter to be underestimated. This is something that has not been seen before. It is clear that a new change is taking place in the Islamic world."

''THOSE WHO HELP THE ZIONIST REGIME...''

Criticizing the aid provided to Israel, Khamenei said, "It is sad that some Muslim governments are helping the Zionist regime in the middle of the conflict in Palestine. When Zionists establish themselves in a country, they suck the blood of that country for their own interests. Those who help the Zionist regime are helping their own destruction."

Calling on Muslim countries, Khamenei said, "Muslim governments should at least temporarily cut off their economic and political relations with the Zionist regime. Relations should be severed, and as long as they commit these crimes, no one should help them. Muslim countries cutting off relations with the Zionist regime is not just our expectation. Muslim nations expect this. If Muslim countries were to hold a referendum, undoubtedly everyone would vote for their governments to sever relations."

ISRAEL'S HARSH RESPONSE TO IRAN'S ''WE WILL PUNISH'' WORDS

Khamenei used similar expressions regarding Israel in the sermon of the Eid prayer he led at the Grand Mosalla Mosque in the capital, Tehran.

The Israeli administration reacted to Khamenei's statements.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said in a statement that any attack on Israel would be met with strong defense, and subsequently, a strong response would be given to the attack on Iranian soil.

Gallant said, "In this war, we are being attacked from multiple fronts, from different directions. Any enemy that tries to attack us will first be met with a strong defense."

Stating that any attack would be responded to very quickly from anywhere in the Middle East, Gallant said, "Israel's response will be very effective, very powerful. One of the things we have excelled at for years is that the enemy never knows what kind of surprises we have prepared for them."

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz stated, "If Iran attacks from its own territory, Israel will respond and attack Iran."

In the airstrike carried out by Israel on the Iranian Consulate in Damascus, the capital of Syria, on April 1, 7 people lost their lives, including Mohammad Reza Zahedi, Commander of the Quds Force of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps responsible for Syria and Lebanon, and his deputies Mohammad Hadi Haji Rahimi and Hossein Aminullah.