Ayatollah Khamenei: Iran Shows Its Strength Against Israel

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ordered military officials to innovate and study enemy tactics.

AP/OFFICE OF THE IRANIAN SUPREME LEADER

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks before senior Iranian military officials in Tehran, Iran, Sunday (21/4/2024).

TEHERAN, MONDAY — Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei praised the success of Iran's armed forces in directly attacking Israel last week. Even though most of Iran's missiles and drones were shot down by Israel, the attack was still significant because it demonstrated Iran's strength.

The attack by Iran on Israel has never happened before. In addition to Iran, Israel was also attacked by Scud missiles by Iraqi President Saddam Hussein during the Gulf War in 1991.

The praise was expressed by Khamenei (85) in a meeting with military and police officials from Iran, as well as the paramilitary Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), on Sunday (21/4/2024). "It's not about how many missiles are launched and how many hit the target. That's not important. What's important is that Iran has shown its strength," said Khamenei.

Also read: Iran attacks Israel, conflict is feared to spread

Khamenei has ordered his country's military officials to continue military innovations and learn enemy tactics. "In recent operations, the armed forces have successfully minimized costs and maximized profits," he said.

The issue of air pollution is not new. The community has long been threatened by air pollution, and there is no shortage of research showing the threats posed by its impact. However, in reality, this has not led to significant efforts in controlling air pollution. As a result, residents continue to suffer from the effects of air pollution. The air defense system and fighter jets of Israel, supported by the United States, Britain, and Jordan, shoot down most of Iran's missiles and unmanned aircraft. Satellite images analyzed by The Associated Press news agency on Saturday (20/4/2024) showed that the Iranian attack only caused minor damage at the Nevatim Air Base in southern Israel, including destroying some of Israel's runways.

Also read: Iran Attacks Israel with Hundreds of Drones

Iran attacked Israel in response to alleged attacks by Israel on Iran's consulate in Damascus, Syria, on April 1, 2024. As a result of the attack, two Iranian generals were killed.

AP/OFFICE OF THE IRANIAN SUPREME LEADER

The Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (sitting in the chair), spoke in front of senior military officials in Tehran, Iran, on Sunday (April 21, 2024).

Observers believe that Iran and Israel, two sworn enemies, are actually both trying to reduce tension following a series of escalating attacks between them amidst the chaos of the Hamas-Israel war in Gaza Strip. Professor of International Relations at Gadjah Mada University, Mohtar Mas'oed, is not sure whether Iran and Israel want a World War and nuclear war to occur.

This can be seen from their attacks, which were not maximal. Both Iran and Israel are capable of launching massive attacks. Israel is very capable of devastatingly attacking Iran and could succeed because Iran's defense system is not strong. However, Israel does not do so because they do not want a large-scale war with Iran that could provoke a larger conflict.

"Both of them are restraining themselves because they both have nuclear weapons. The attacks, you know, are small-scale but everywhere. They also don't want to see World War happening. They are 'forced' to attack due to pressures from other countries,” said Mohtar.

Iraqi Rockets

From Iraq, it was reported that at least five rockets were launched from the city of Zummar in Iraq to the US military base in Syria on Sunday (21/4/2024). This attack on US troops is the first since early February 2024 when Iranian-backed groups in Iraq stopped their attacks against US forces.

The attack occurred one day after Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani returned from a visit to the US and met with US President Joe Biden at the White House.

Two security sources and a senior military officer told Reuters news agency that there were rocket launchers installed behind a truck parked in Zummar, near the Syrian border. The truck was suspected to have been blown up by an airstrike, although the perpetrator is still unknown. The attack occurred one day after a big explosion at a military base in Iraq on Saturday (20/4/2024).

Also read: After the explosion in Isfahan, a large explosion rocks pro-Iranian bases in Iraq

AFP/KARAR JABBAR

Abu Fadak al-Mohammedawi (middle, right), Chief of Staff of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), visited a man in a hospital in Hilla, Babylon Province, Iraq on Saturday (20/4/2024). The man was injured in an attack on a PMF military base.

Also read: Iran Versus Israel

Director of the Syrian Human Rights Monitoring Organization, Rami Abdel Rahman, has said that several rockets were fired "from Iraqi territory at the Kharab al-Jir base" in northeastern Syria, where US forces are stationed. He cited anti-Iraqi resistance groups, an alliance of pro-Iranian groups, as carrying out the attacks. This group claims that most of the attacks on US forces occurred between mid-October 2023 and early February 2024.

(Reuters/AP)