Israel warns Iran against direct attack on territory
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Israeli Foreign Minister, Israel Katz, said on Wednesday that a direct attack from Iran against Israel would entail a retaliation against Iranian territory following threats made by Iranian Supreme Leader.
“If Iran attacks from its own territory, Israel will respond and attack in Iran,” Katz threatened on X platform (previously Twitter) in Hebrew and Persian, tagging Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The threat came moments after Khamenei said on Wednesday that Israel will be punished for attacking the Iranian consulate in Syria.
Khamenei said during a ceremony celebrating the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, “When they attack the consulate, it is as if they have attacked our soil,” adding, “The evil regime made a mistake and must be punished and it shall be.”
On April 1, Israeli airstrikes targeted the Iranian consulate in Damascus, which is adjacent to the main embassy building, killing five officers of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and two generals, including Gen. Mohammad Reza Zahedi, commander of the IRGC’s Quds Force in Syria and Lebanon.
Israel has intensified airstrikes on Iran-linked targets, including weapons warehouses in Syria after the start of the Israel-Hamas war on Oct.7, 2023. However the attack on the Iranian consulate is considered a major escalation, for which Iran blames Israel and has vowed several times to retaliate without determining how and when.