ISRAEL’S foreign minister said today that his country’s forces would strike Iran directly if the Islamic Republic launched an attack from its territory against Israel.

Tensions between the rival powers have flared following the killings of Iranian generals in a blast at the Iranian consulate in Syria.

“If Iran attacks from its territory, Israel will respond and attack in Iran,” Israel Katz said in a post on the X social media platform.

The remarks came after Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei reiterated a promise to retaliate against Israel over the attack on its consulate in Damascus earlier this month.

Tehran holds Israel responsible for the strike that levelled the building, killing 12 people. 

Israel has not acknowledged its involvement, though it has been bracing for an Iranian response to the attack, a significant escalation in their long-running shadow war.

The United States administration said last week that they had assessed Israel was responsible for the attack.

Ayatollah Khamenei spoke at a prayer ceremony celebrating the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, saying the air strike was “wrongdoing” and akin to an attack on Iranian territory.

He said: “When they attacked our consulate area, it was like they attacked our territory.”

In remarks broadcast by Iranian TV, the Supreme Leader said: “The evil regime must be punished, and it will be punished.”

Neither Mr Katz nor the Ayatollah elaborated on the way they would retaliate.

Among 12 killed in the blast on April 1 were seven Iranian Revolutionary Guard members, four Syrians and a Hezbollah militia member.

The Ayatollah also slammed the West, particularly the United States and Britain, for supporting Israel in its war against Hamas in Gaza.

“It was expected that they would prevent Israel in this disaster. They did not. They did not fulfil their duties,” he said.