Iran's attack on Israel completely legal and legitimate: Khamenei

Leading Friday prayers from Tehran's Grand Mosalla Mosque, Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei hailed Iran's attack on Israel earlier this week, calling it "completely legal and legitimate work".

Khamenei delivered a part of his sermon in Arabic as a message for the entire Islamic world, "especially Lebanon and Palestine", as thousands gathered at the venue to hear him and also attend the commemoration ceremony of Hezbollah secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in Israeli Air Force strikes in the southern suburbs of Beirut last week. Abbas Nilforoushan, a senior commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), was also killed during the Israeli attacks on Beirut.

"The brilliant work of our armed forces two or three nights ago was completely legal and legitimate work," the Iranian supreme leader told the huge gathering, which also included the country's President Masoud Pezeshkian. "The enemy of Iran is the enemy of Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Yemen, and Iraq. The enemy is the same and works everywhere with a special method, but the control room is the same."

Khamenei said he believed it was necessary to honour "brother" Nasrallah during the Friday prayer as he was an "admired personality" in the Islamic world and the "shining jewel" of Lebanon. "Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah brought assurance and courage to the fighters and seekers of truth. The scope of his popularity and influence extended beyond Lebanon, Iran, and Arab countries, and now his martyrdom will increase his influence even more," he said.

Khamenei urged the "exuberant youth of Hezbollah" to fulfil the wishes of "martyred" Nasrallah. "We must close the belt of defence, independence and dignity — from Afghanistan to Yemen and from Iran to Gaza and Lebanon in all Islamic countries. Today, most of my words are addressed to the Lebanese and Palestinian brothers," he stated.

On Wednesday, the Iranian supreme leader had said the root cause of problems in West Asia is the presence of the United States and certain European countries in the region.

Seemingly in line with that claim, Iran's foreign ministry summoned German and Austrian ambassadors over their countries' summoning of Iranian envoys to protest Tehran's missile attack against Israel, reported Iran's official news agency IRNA.

During talks with the envoys, Majid Nili Ahmadabadi, director for Western European nations at the ministry, said Iran was completely determined to defend its security and that Iran's military action against Israel was taken in line with the principle of legitimate defence under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, Xinhua news agency reported.

Condemning certain European countries' positions in support of Israel, he said "we would not have witnessed such disasters (in West Asia)" if the European sides had stopped Israel's "massacre machine and genocide" by taking effective and practical actions, including ceasing their financial and arms supports in a timely manner. The German and Austrian ambassadors gave assurances of conveying Iran's protest to their respective governments.

Meanwhile, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) claimed on Friday to have killed another Hezbollah commander, Mohammad Rashid Sakafi. Announcing the news on X, the IDF said, "Mohammad Rashid Sakafi, the Commander of Hezbollah's Communications Unit, was killed during a precise, intelligence-based strike in Beirut yesterday."

The IDF further claimed that Sakafi was a senior Hezbollah terrorist, who was responsible for the communications unit since 2000, Xinhua news agency reported. "Sakafi invested significant efforts to develop communication capabilities between all of Hezbollah's units," said the IDF.

Earlier on Friday, Israeli warplanes launched strikes targeting an underground bunker in the Dahiyeh neighbourhood of Beirut, where senior Hezbollah leaders were reportedly gathered. Among those believed to be present was Hashem Safieddine, a cousin and potential successor to Nasrallah.

The strikes on Thursday generated massive explosions that reverberated throughout the densely populated area, shaking buildings across the Lebanese capital. Earlier on Thursday, Israeli forces conducted an airstrike in Tulkarm in Israeli-occupied West Bank, resulting in the deaths of at least 18 Palestinians, a significant casualty count compared to previous assaults during the current conflict.

The Israeli military has warned residents in more than 20 towns and cities in southern Lebanon to evacuate immediately as signs of an intensified ground invasion into Lebanon emerge. In a related escalation, the Israeli military is deploying a fifth division of soldiers to the border area.

In Gaza, Israeli airstrikes continued, with local health officials reporting nearly 100 fatalities in the past 24 hours, marking the highest daily toll in three months. Despite Hezbollah's efforts to retaliate, Israeli air defences successfully intercepted at least 200 rockets launched from Lebanon on Thursday, with no immediate reports of injuries.