Iran’s Supreme Leader Calls Missile Strike on Israel “Legal and Legitimate”

In a rare public sermon delivered on Friday, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei defended his country’s recent missile strike on Israel, calling it both “legal and legitimate.” He emphasized that regional resistance forces would not back down, even after losing key leaders.

Khamenei’s remarks, made during Friday prayers in Tehran, marked his first such appearance in nearly five years. According to AFP, Khamenei stated that Iran will neither delay nor act recklessly in confronting Israel. He described the missile barrage on Tuesday—nearly 200 rockets launched toward Israel—as a justified response to what he called Israel’s “crimes.”

“The resistance in the region will continue, undeterred, even with the assassination of its leaders,” Khamenei declared, referencing the death of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah during the sermon.

The comments followed news from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) that Mohammad Rashid Sakafi, Hezbollah’s communications commander, was killed in an airstrike in Beirut. The IDF described Sakafi as a senior figure responsible for Hezbollah’s communications infrastructure since 2000.

In response to the missile strike, U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan noted earlier in the week that the attack was “defeated and ineffective.” He highlighted that U.S. naval destroyers had coordinated with Israeli air defenses to intercept the missiles. Sullivan also confirmed that President Biden, Vice President Harris, and national security officials closely monitored the situation from the White House Situation Room.