Khamenei Declares Victory: Says Israel Was ‘Knocked Out,’ U.S. ‘Slapped,’ Warns of Future Retaliation
“The fact that the Islamic Republic has access to key U.S. centers in the region and can take action whenever it deems necessary is a significant matter,” he said. “Such an action can be repeated in the future, too. Should any aggression occur, the enemy will definitely pay a heavy price.”
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Thursday declared what he called a “victory” over Israel and the United States following the recently halted 12-day war, warning that any future aggression against the Islamic Republic would be met with decisive force.
In a series of remarks posted on his official account on X, Khamenei praised Iran’s military operations during the conflict, claiming that the "Zionist regime was practically knocked out and crushed under the blows of the Islamic Republic.”
“I offer my congratulations on the victory over the fallacious Zionist regime,” Khamenei stated. “With all that commotion and all those claims, the Zionist regime was practically knocked out.”
He also hailed what he described as a triumph over Washington, asserting that the United States had entered the conflict out of desperation to save Israel. “My congratulations on our dear Iran’s victory over the US regime. The US entered the war directly because it felt that if it didn’t, the Zionist regime would be completely destroyed. It entered the war in an effort to save that regime but achieved nothing,” he wrote.
Strike on Al-Udeid Base
Highlighting Iran’s retaliatory military action during the conflict, Khamenei confirmed that Iranian forces targeted Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, a major U.S. military installation in the region. “The Islamic Republic delivered a heavy slap to the US’s face. It attacked and inflicted damage on the Al-Udeid Air Base,” he said.
He further emphasized Iran’s strategic reach across the region, warning that Tehran retains the capability to strike at U.S. interests again if provoked.
“The fact that the Islamic Republic has access to key U.S. centers in the region and can take action whenever it deems necessary is a significant matter,” he said. “Such an action can be repeated in the future, too. Should any aggression occur, the enemy will definitely pay a heavy price.”
Rising Tensions
Khamenei’s comments come just days after a ceasefire was brokered between Iran and Israel, ending nearly two weeks of airstrikes, missile barrages, and cyberattacks. The conflict drew the U.S. into direct military engagement after Iran launched attacks on Israeli territory and strategic facilities, prompting joint U.S.-Israeli retaliatory strikes on Iranian nuclear and military infrastructure.
While both Israel and the U.S. have claimed success in degrading Iran’s nuclear program, Iranian leaders have framed the outcome as a strategic and symbolic win, asserting deterrence capabilities.
U.S. and Israeli officials have not yet responded directly to Khamenei’s remarks, but both countries have stated that they remain vigilant against future threats from Tehran.
Khamenei’s rhetoric underscores the high-stakes nature of the confrontation and the fragile calm that the current ceasefire seeks to preserve — even as both sides continue to posture for future scenarios in an already volatile region.
