On the 27th, a photo was released by the office of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, showing him addressing a crowd in Tehran. This follows Israel’s retaliatory strikes on multiple Iranian military targets early on the 26th. According to reports from the Iranian news agency IRNA, Khamenei urged Iranian officials to determine the best way to demonstrate Iran’s strength to Israel.
Khamenei emphasized that the “atrocities committed by Israel two nights ago should neither be downplayed nor exaggerated,” advising that decisions should reflect the best interests of the Iranian people and the nation. He described the Israeli military’s actions as a “miscalculation.”
In response to the Israeli nighttime strikes, Iranian officials and media downplayed the incident, claiming that some radar systems suffered limited damage while stressing Iran’s defensive capabilities without pledging immediate retaliation. At least four Iranian military personnel were reported killed, prompting Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi to express condolences to the families of the deceased.
The Israeli military stated that several aircraft completed three waves of airstrikes before dawn on the 26th, targeting facilities near Tehran and missile factories in western Iran. They warned Iran against any retaliatory measures.
