TEHRAN, Iran – As the military clash between Iran and Israel intensifies, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has made a rare public statement, vowing that the Iranian nation “will not surrender,” and warning that any U.S. military involvement would bring “irreparable damage” to America.
In a video address aired Wednesday, Khamenei responded directly to U.S. President Donald Trump’s call for Iran’s unconditional surrender, branding the comments “absurd and threatening.” The footage, tightly framed and lacking location indicators, appeared to be deliberately designed to protect his whereabouts.
The message comes after six days of fierce fighting between Israel and Iran, which began with a surprise Israeli strike that hit Iranian nuclear and military facilities. In response, Iran launched a barrage of over 400 missiles and hundreds of drones, many of which were intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome defense system.
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Explosions were reported early Wednesday across Tehran, including in the Hakimiyeh district where Iran’s Revolutionary Guard maintains a training facility. Iranian state TV interrupted live programming after a blast near their Tehran studio. While Iranian officials have minimized casualty figures, an independent rights group reported over 585 deaths in Iran, with 239 of them civilians.
Israel’s military, for its part, claims to have hit critical infrastructure in and around Tehran, including centrifuge manufacturing sites and internal security headquarters. The Israeli Defense Ministry stated that 10 missiles were intercepted overnight and suggested a decline in Iran’s strike capability.
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The situation has prompted Israel to gradually lift emergency restrictions, allowing office work and small public gatherings near shelters. Schools remain shut, but the easing indicates growing Israeli confidence in neutralizing the missile threat.
Meanwhile, Trump has sent additional warships and aircraft to the region, signaling a possible shift toward greater U.S. involvement. Despite earlier distancing from Israel’s initial strike, the American president has recently suggested that military engagement remains an option.
On the diplomatic front, Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Ali Bahreini, dismissed any suggestion that the strikes had disrupted Iran’s nuclear ambitions. “We will continue to enrich uranium as needed for peaceful purposes,” he said.
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The ongoing war has sent ripples of anxiety across the Middle East, disrupted global oil prices, and prompted worldwide concern about the potential for a broader regional war. Yet Khamenei remains resolute: “Americans should know that any military involvement by the U.S. will undoubtedly result in irreparable damage to them.”
Flights have resumed at Ben Gurion Airport in Israel, marking the first repatriation efforts since the conflict began. As both sides brace for what could be a protracted confrontation, the world watches anxiously, hoping that diplomacy will prevail over escalation.
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