Khamenei: Iran and its allies will continue to resist and fight against Israel.

In a rare address on Friday, Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei pledged that Iran and its regional allies would continue fighting against Israel. This speech, delivered in Tehran, was his first since Iran carried out its second-ever missile strike on Israel, and comes amid heightened tensions following clashes between Hezbollah fighters and Israeli troops that have escalated into full-scale conflict in Lebanon. 

Nearly a year after Hamas launched its deadly October 7 attack on Israel, Israel shifted its focus to securing the Lebanese border, where Hezbollah's rocket attacks have displaced 60,000 Israelis. Israeli strikes on Hezbollah strongholds in Lebanon since September 23 have killed over 1,000 people and displaced hundreds of thousands, according to the Lebanese health ministry.

In his speech, Khamenei praised Hezbollah’s resistance, stating in Arabic, “The resistance in the region will not back down with these martyrdoms, and will win.” This statement comes as Israel considers retaliation for Iran's missile attack, which Tehran described as revenge for the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and other top figures.

Hezbollah has continued its rocket attacks on Israeli forces, while Israel has carried out ground raids in southern Lebanon. Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant warned that those attacking Israel would "pay a heavy price." Iran has vowed to escalate its response if Israel retaliates further.

Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon and Gaza, as well as in the West Bank, have led to significant casualties, with ongoing calls for restraint amid the violence.