Iranian leader Khamenei says how many missiles hit Iran 'doesn't really matter'

Tehran openly targeted Israel for the first time on April 13 with more than 300 missiles and drones in what it said was retaliation for Israel's suspected deadly bombing of its embassy compound.

 Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei looks on during a meeting in Tehran, Iran, April 3, 2024.  (photo credit: Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via REUTERS)
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei looks on during a meeting in Tehran, Iran, April 3, 2024.
(photo credit: Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader/WANA (West Asia News Agency)/Handout via REUTERS)

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei thanked the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps for the attack on Israel, conducted on April 13, according to reports from Iranian state media.

According to reports, he also called upon the Iranian armed forces to "ceaselessly pursue military innovation and learn the enemy's tactics."

"How many missiles were launched and how many of them hit their target is not the primary question, what really matters is that Iran demonstrated its will-power during that operation," Khamenei said on Sunday.

Iran's attack on Israel

Tehran openly targeted Israel for the first time on April 13 with more than 300 missiles and drones in what it said was retaliation for Israel's suspected deadly bombing of its embassy compound in Damascus on April 1.

 Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei looks at the coffins of members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps who were killed in the Israeli airstrike on the Iranian embassy complex in the Syrian capital Damascus, during a funeral ceremony in Tehran, Iran April 4, 2024 (credit: Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader/WANA/Handout via Reuters)
Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei looks at the coffins of members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps who were killed in the Israeli airstrike on the Iranian embassy complex in the Syrian capital Damascus, during a funeral ceremony in Tehran, Iran April 4, 2024 (credit: Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader/WANA/Handout via Reuters)

Early on Friday, explosions echoed over the Iranian city of Isfahan in what sources said was an Israeli attack, but Tehran played down the incident and said it had no plans for retaliation - a response that appeared gauged towards averting region-wide war.

While the attack was quiet, it showed that Israel could bypass Iranian air defenses and strike deep inside the country, a warning after Tehran’s attack.

This is a developing story.