In his first response to the recent Israeli strikes that killed Hezbollah commanders, Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei stated that the attacks will not undermine the group's strength.
“Hezbollah’s organizational and human strength far surpasses these notions. Their power, capabilities, and resilience are vastly superior to being significantly undermined by these martyrdoms,” Khamenei said on Wednesday.
“Undoubtedly, the loss of an individual, particularly a commander with a distinguished record of jihad in the path of God, is a significant blow. There is no question about that. Yet, despite these losses, they have prevailed thus far,” he added.
The Iranian leader's speech comes amid escalating regional tensions, as Tehran's key proxy group faces an intensifying Israeli offensive. Since Monday, Israeli military operations in Lebanon have resulted in 569 fatalities and over 1,800 injuries, including the assassination of multiple top commanders over the weekend.
In another part of his remarks, Khamenei likened the operations of Lebanese and Palestinian forces against Israel to Iran’s own struggle during the eight-year war with Iraq. He reaffirmed the “religious and undeniable duty” to return Palestine and the Al-Aqsa Mosque to their rightful owners.
Khamenei further asserted, "The Palestinian and Lebanese resistance will ultimately prevail," accusing Israel of targeting civilians out of frustration with its inability to defeat its adversaries.
Since Hezbollah’s founding in 1982, Iran has remained its steadfast ally. Khamenei attributed the recent escalation in Lebanon to US involvement following Israeli strikes that destroyed communication equipment provided to Hezbollah.
Despite Washington’s claims of ignorance regarding Israel’s plans, Khamenei insisted, "The US is both aware and complicit," adding that President Biden’s administration "requires a victory for the Zionist regime" ahead of the upcoming November presidential election.
