Israel hit hard Iran's ability to defend itself and to produce missiles when its air force struck two nights ago, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday.
"The air force attacked throughout Iran. We hit hard Iran's defence capabilities and its ability to produce missiles that are aimed at us," Netanyahu said in a speech.
"The attack in Iran was precise and powerful, and it achieved all its objectives," he said.
He emphasized that Israel’s war is not against the Iranian people, but with the Islamic Republic.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Sunday that the US involvement in Israel's operation is completely clear for Tehran, adding that the US provided a designated flight path for Israeli fighter jets.
“The least the US did was granting an air corridor to Israel’s air force,” he said.
Speaking about Iran’s diplomatic measures, he said, "Last night, I submitted a letter to the UN Secretary-General, officially recording this incursion on Iranian soil and requesting an urgent Security Council session.”
During Sunday’s parliament session, Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf praised the effectiveness of Iran’s military defenses, saying that Israel’s recent actions only highlight its vulnerability.
He added that, under Article 51 of the UN Charter, Iran reserves the right to respond as part of its legitimate right to self-defense. Any retaliation will be decisive and calculated, he went on to say.
“Nothing in the present Charter shall impair the inherent right of individual or collective self-defense if an armed attack occurs against a Member of the United Nations, until the Security Council has taken measures necessary to maintain international peace and security. Measures taken by Members in the exercise of this right of self-defense shall be immediately reported to the Security Council and shall not in any way affect the authority and responsibility of the Security Council under the present Charter to take at any time such action as it deems necessary in order to maintain or restore international peace and security,” reads Article 51.
Hossein Shariatmadari, the editor of the flagship hardliner newspaper -- which is funded by the Supreme Leader, urged a swift response to Israel’s recent attack, dismissing suggestions to refrain from retaliation.

In an editorial, he argued that hesitating to respond would only encourage further aggression from the US and Israel, describing such restraint as an open invitation to future attacks against Iran.
In his first response to Saturday’s Israeli attack on Iran’s military installations, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei struck a cautious tone, refraining from an outright call for retaliation.
In a statement on X, Presidential Advisor Mohammad Javad Zarif urged Western nations to shift from their paradigms and condemn Israel’s recent aggression.
“The West should move away from its outdated and dangerous paradigm. It must condemn Israel’s recent acts of aggression and join Iran in efforts to end the apartheid, genocide, and violence in Palestine and Gaza, and in Lebanon,” Zarif said about two days after Israel’s airstrikes on missile sites and anti-aircraft capabilities in and around the capital Tehran and in Iran's southwest.
He called on global powers to support Iran’s efforts to end the violence in Gaza, and Lebanon, emphasizing that recognizing Iran's commitment to peace represents a unique opportunity that should not be missed.
“Recognizing Iran’s confident resolve for peace is essential; this unique opportunity should not be missed.”
In his first response to Saturday’s Israeli attack on Iran’s military installations, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei struck a cautious tone, refraining from an outright call for retaliation.
“The malicious act by the Zionist regime two nights ago should neither be exaggerated nor underestimated. The Zionist regime’s miscalculations must be disrupted, and the power, will, and initiative of the Iranian nation and its youth must be made clear to them,” Khamenei stated.
Despite being Iran’s commander-in-chief with control over security and foreign policy, Khamenei appeared to distance himself from decisions on a potential response. According to Tasnim News, which is affiliated with the Revolutionary Guard, Khamenei emphasized, “It is up to the officials to determine how best to convey the strength and resolve of the Iranian nation to the Zionist regime, and whatever is in the best interest of this nation and country should be carried out.”






