Iran's supreme leader says Israel must and will be punished for Damascus attack

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei used his Eid Al Fitr sermon to renew threats of retaliation over Israel's April 1 strike on the Iranian embassy compound in Syria.

“When they attack our consulate, it means our territory has been attacked,” state outlet IRNA quoted Khamenei as saying during Eid Al Fitr prayers at Tehran's Grand Mosque.

“The evil regime made a mistake and must be punished and will be punished.”

Khamenei said Israel's intensified bombing of Gaza during Ramadan left a "bitter taste" for Muslims and criticised western governments for their support of Israel.

Khamenei has vowed revenge, warning last week that Israel would be "slapped", while other officials have threatened attacks against Israeli embassies.

President Ebrahim Raisi also said Israel would be punished for the attack, which Iran-backed groups have compared to the US assassination of IRGC Quds Force chief Qassem Soleimani in January 2020.

The Israeli strike on Iran's embassy compound in Damascus killed senior members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, including Mohammad Reza Zahedi, who led the Quds Force in Syria and Lebanon, and sent tensions soaring between the countries.