'Will bring vile Zionist regime to its knees': In address after attack, Iran's supreme leader Khamenei warns Israel will be 'helpless'

In a televised message, first time after Israel's strike on Iran, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a warning and said that the Iranian armed forces will act “with strength" and “bring the vile Zionist regime to its knees." He added that the Iranian armed forces will leave Israel “helpless”.

Khamenei also said, “The Zionist regime will not escape unscathed from this crime," assuring the Iranian public that “there will be no negligence in this matter." Iran's Supreme Leader also said that Tehran “will not go for half measures in its response”. “The Armed Forces will respond powerfully and will make the vile Zionist regime miserable,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Israel Defence Forces said that it has struck the Isfahan nuclear center and explosions were heard in Tehran and the Fordo nuclear facility.

Tensions in West Asia escalated after Israel, on June 13, launched a ‘preemptive strike’ on Iran, hitting its nuclear and military sites and killing top generals of the country.

In response, Iran vowed to avenge the attack on its nuclear sites and the assassination of its senior military leadership, saying it would respond forcefully and that the “end of this story will be written by Iran’s hand”. Israel then said that Iran had launched 100 drones towards Israel and that its air defences were intercepting them outside Israeli territory.

The rise in tensions also comes as the US and Iran are negotiating over a nuclear deal. US President Donald Trump called on Iran to come to the negotiating table over its nuclear programme, warning of “much worse” consequences if it fails to act. He also said that he knew about the date of the Israeli attack. He added that Tehran might still have a “second chance” to reach a nuclear agreement.

He also issued a clear threat about the strength of US and Israeli military power, saying, “The United States makes the best and most lethal military equipment anywhere in the World, BY FAR, and that Israel has a lot of it, with much more to come, And they know how to use it.”

Earlier, Iran accused the United States of backing the Israeli assault but Washington denied any involvement adding that it was aware of Israel's plan.