'Israel will not last long': Rifle in hand, Iran’s Supreme Leader Khamenei issues dire warning in rare Friday sermon

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, held a Russian-made Dragunov rifle as he addressed a mass gathering in a rare Friday prayer meet. In his first address in five years to a Friday gathering, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei defended the “legal and legitimate” missile attack by Iran on Israel and called for “Muslim unity.”

The 85-year-old leader with a rifle accentuated strength, vowing not to back down in the face of Israeli aggression. After leading prayers at Imam Khomeini’s Grand Mosalla in central Tehran, Khamenei in his sermon stated that Iran's missile strikes are the “least punishment” for Israel. He also warned that Israel “will not last long”.

He strongly reaffirmed support for anti-Israeli militia groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, portraying this as an Islamic duty. Further, he issued warnings of potential direct missile strikes from Iranian soil if deemed necessary.

"We neither procrastinate nor hurry in fulfilling our duty. What is reasonable and correct according to the opinion of political and military decision-makers will be done in due time and will be done again in the future if necessary,” Khamenei said in a thinly veiled warning for Israel as cited by IRNA news agency.

In a strong message to Israel, the Supreme leader of Iran, said, “If needed, Iran will attack occupied Palestine again.”

“The Palestinian nation has the right to stand against the enemy who has occupied its land and ruined its life. Defending the Palestinians is legitimate, and helping them is also legitimate,” Khamenei said.

According to state media outlet IRNA, prayers were held for late Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, and his companions, including Iranian General Abbas Nilforushan, who were killed in Israeli airstrikes in Beirut last week.

"Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah is no longer among us physically, but his path and his resonant voice are and will continue to be with us. He was an articulate voice and brave supporter of the oppressed," Khamenei said, adding that the enemy of Iran is the enemy of Palestine, Lebanon, Iraq, Egypt, Syria, and Yemen.

Iran launched approximately 200 ballistic missiles at targets in Israel earlier this week on October 1 in response to Israel’s killing of Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut last week and following the July 31 assassination of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.

The salvo of 180 projectiles caused no casualties as most missiles were intercepted, according to Israeli army reports. Iran claimed it was targeting three military bases in Tel Aviv.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu immediately pledged to retaliate and said Iran “made a big mistake and will pay”, as the US rallied behind its close ally, as per Al Jazeera.

“Make no mistake, the United States is fully, fully, fully supportive of Israel,” President Joe Biden said at the White House, adding that he was discussing a response to the attack. The international community continues to monitor the situation closely, with many nations condemning Iran’s actions. 

(With ANI inputs)