Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei File photo: IC

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed “severe punishment" for an Israeli attack that he called a crime, the NBC News reported.  

"This regime must await severe punishment," he said in a statement hours after Israeli strikes, according to the NBC News.

A spokesman for Iran’s armed forces has promised a heavy response to Israel's attack is to come. The comments were made by Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi and were reported by state-run media IRNA, according to the NBC News report.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Friday that Israel has launched a "preemptive strike" on Iran, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed in a statement that its jets have completed the first-stage attack, notably strikes on dozens of military targets, including nuclear targets in different areas of Iran, according to Xinhua.

Global Times