**Iran's Supreme Leader Promises Severe Retaliation Against US and Israel**

Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has issued a stern warning to the United States and Israel, declaring they will face a "crushing response" for their recent actions against Iran. During a speech to students on Saturday, ahead of the 45th anniversary of the 1979 seizure of the US embassy in Tehran, Khamenei addressed the tensions following an Israeli attack on Iran that took place on 26 October. This attack, Iran claims, resulted in the deaths of four Iranian soldiers and severely impacted their air defenses and missile capacities.

The confrontation between Israel and Iran escalated over a series of retaliatory actions. Initially, Iran launched a missile attack targeting Israel in early October, which itself was a response to the assassination of leaders from Hezbollah and Hamas—groups that receive support from Tehran—as well as a senior Iranian commander. Iran's "axis of resistance," which includes factions like Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and other armed groups in Iraq and Syria, is a significant pillar of its regional strategy. Many Western countries have designated these groups as terrorist organizations.

Israel claims to have targeted Iran to cripple its support for Hamas, responsible for attacks on 7 October last year, resulting in around 1,200 Israeli deaths and the taking of more than 250 hostages into Gaza. In retaliation, Israel has launched an extensive military campaign in Gaza, with over 43,300 fatalities recorded by the Hamas-run health ministry in the territory.

Concurrently, Israel has been engaging Hezbollah in Lebanon since September, escalating after nearly a year of cross-border skirmishes and rocket exchanges following Hezbollah's support for Palestinians post the Hamas-led attacks. The violent confrontations have resulted in over 2,800 deaths and displaced 1.2 million people in Lebanon, according to Lebanese authorities. On the other side, more than 60 Israelis have died from Hezbollah's rocket, drone, and missile strikes targeting northern Israel and occupied areas of the Golan Heights.

The volatile situation has prompted diplomatic efforts, with Lebanese Prime Minister expressing cautious optimism about achieving a truce. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of residents have had to flee as Israeli military operations continue, including strikes on fuel depots attributed to Hezbollah.