DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) – Iran's supreme leader said Sunday that Israel's attack on Iran this weekend "should not be exaggerated nor downplayed," though he stopped short of calling for retaliation.
KHAMENEI
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's remarks are the latest suggesting Iran is carefully weighing its response to the attack. Already, Iran's military has said a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip or Lebanon trumps any retaliatory attack on Israel, though Iranian officials also have said they reserve the right to respond.
"The evil actions of the Israeli regime two nights ago should neither be exaggerated nor downplayed," Khamenei said. "The miscalculations of the Israeli regime must be disrupted. It is essential to make them understand the strength, will, and initiative of the Iranian nation and its youth."
He added: "It is up to the authorities to determine how to convey the power and will of the Iranian people to the Israeli regime and to take actions that serve the interests of this nation and country."