Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, convened an emergency session of the Supreme National Security Council at his residence on Friday.
The New York Times made this known, citing two Iranian officials familiar with the discussions.
This meeting was prompted by Israeli airstrikes targeting Hezbollah’s headquarters in southern Beirut, which allegedly aimed at eliminating the group’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah.
In response to the strikes, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned the actions, labeling them a “flagrant war crime” that starkly illustrates the Israeli regime’s nature as a perpetrator of state terrorism.
The Iranian government expressed outrage over the incident, which comes amid heightened tensions in the region.
Ali Larijani, an adviser to Khamenei, stated that Israel is “crossing Tehran’s red lines” and that the situation is escalating dangerously.
He emphasized on state television that “assassinations will not solve Israel’s problem.” Larijani noted, “With the assassination of resistance leaders, others will take their place,” asserting that the resistance movement has capable commanders ready to step in. “Israel’s problem is not solved by terror,” he added, highlighting that the Lebanese populace is becoming more resolved to confront Israeli actions.
The Iranian foreign ministry issued a statement branding the strikes as a “war crime,” insisting that both Israel and the United States should be held accountable for their roles in the conflict.
Meanwhile, the Iranian embassy in Lebanon also condemned the airstrikes, warning of a “dangerous escalation” that could fundamentally alter the dynamics of conflict in the region.
They described the strikes as a “reprehensible crime” and cautioned that Israel would “receive the appropriate punishment.”
Hamas joined in denouncing the Israeli strikes, characterizing them as “brutal and ongoing Zionist aggression” against the Lebanese people, particularly condemning the attacks that targeted residential areas.
The airstrikes caused significant destruction in Beirut, sending plumes of smoke billowing into the sky and resulting in numerous casualties.
Reports indicated that the Israeli assault flattened six buildings, marking one of the heaviest attacks in the Lebanese capital in nearly a year of conflict between Hezbollah and Israel.
Amid widespread speculation regarding Nasrallah’s fate, unconfirmed Hebrew media sources reported that he was specifically targeted.
Multiple Israeli and U.S. officials corroborated that he was the intended target of the strikes.
A close source to Hezbollah confirmed the scale of the destruction, while a Lebanese security official noted that many of Hezbollah’s top leaders typically gather at the site that was struck.
As the conflict has escalated, Israeli airstrikes have reportedly killed over 700 individuals in Lebanon, a figure that does not distinguish between Hezbollah fighters and civilians.
Israeli officials have claimed that a significant number of those fatalities were members of the Hezbollah militia.
The recent surge in violence has heightened concerns over a potentially larger and more devastating conflict involving Iran and its regional allies.
