TEHRAN: In his first public comments since Tehran launched an unprecedented direct attack on Israel, Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Sunday praised country’s armed forces for their “success”.

Khamenei praised the armed forces, in a meeting with Iranian military commanders, for their “success in recent events”, a week after the country’s first-ever direct attack on Israel from its own territory.

“The armed forces showed a good image of their abilities and power and an admirable image of the Iranian nation,” Khamenei said.

“They also proved the emergence of the power of the Iranian nation’s determination at the international level.”

“The armed forces’ recent achievements have created a sense of splendour and magnificence about Islamic Iran in the eyes of the world,” Khamenei said in quotes posted on his official X account.

Israel claimed it intercepted 99 per cent of the more than 300 drones and missiles fired at it, with the aid of the United States and other allies and that those which got through caused only minor damage.

Addressing his country’s attack on Israel, Khamenei said “the issue of the number of missiles fired or the missiles that hit the target” was “secondary”.

“The main issue is the emergence of the willpower of the Iranian nation and the armed forces in the international arena,” he said, according to his official website.

Khamenei thanked the country’s armed forces for the attack, saying the country had demonstrated its power.

“In the recent operation, the armed forces managed to minimise costs and maximise gains,” he added, urging military officials to “ceaselessly pursue military innovation and learn the enemy’s tactics”.

Published in Dawn, April 22nd, 2024