Iran President Ebrahim Raisi has declared Tehran’s aerial attack against Israel to be a success and said Iran would deliver an even more “painful” blow if there are future threats to its interests, Al Jazeera reports citing the Irna news agency.

“We now categorically declare that the smallest action against Iranian interests will certainly be met with a severe, widespread and painful response against all its perpetrators,” the Iranian president said while speaking by phone to Qatar’s emir.

Raisi reiterated that Iran was acting in “self-defence”, saying the operation targeted Israeli bases used to carry out the consulate strike, a statement from his office said, according to Reuters.

Israel’s military chief Herzi Halevi has said that Iran’s attack “will be met with a response”, despite mounting calls for restraint from international leaders.