TEHRAN: Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday reiterated his promise to retaliate against Israel over the killings of Iranian generals in Syria.

Khamenei, speaking at a prayer ceremony celebrating the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, said the airstrike that demolished Iran's consulate in Syria earlier this month was a "wrongful act" against a diplomatic post that it considered Iranian territory. goes.

“When they attacked our consular section, it felt as if they were attacking our territory,” Khamenei said.

"The evil regime must be punished, and it will be punished."

The attack killed 12 people: seven Iranian Revolutionary Guard members, four Syrians and one Hezbollah militia member.

Israel has not admitted involvement, although it is preparing an Iranian response to the attack which was a significant escalation in their long-running shadow war.

State TV broadcast Khamenei's remarks live. He did not say how the IRA would retaliate.

Khamenei also criticized the West, especially the US and Britain, for supporting Israel in the war against Hamas in Gaza.

“The hope was that they would prevent (Israel) from getting into this disaster. They did not do this, Western governments did not fulfill their duties.”

Iran supports anti-Israel terrorist groups such as Palestinian Hamas and Lebanese Hezbollah. It does not recognize Israel.