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April 10 (UPI) -- Israel warned Wednesday if Iran directly attacks Israel in retaliation for the bombing of an Iranian consulate building in Syria, Israel will strike directly at Iranian territory. "If Iran attacks from its territory -- Israel will respond and attack in Iran," Israeli Foreign Affairs Minister Israel Katz said on X.
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Iran's spiritual leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on X when Israel bombed the consulate it was attacking Iranian territory.
"When the Zionist regime attacks an Iranian consulate in Syria, it is as if it has attacked Iranian soil," Khamenei wrote. "That malicious regime has made a wrong move. It should be punished, and it will be punished."
Iran has vowed Israel will be punished for bombing the Iranian consulate in Syria. Iran's top military commander warned Israel had committed 'suicide' by hitting Iran's Syrian consulate.
That strike killed two Iranian generals and several Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps officers, including the top IRGC commander in Syria, Brig. Gen. Mohammad Reza Zahedi, as well as his deputy Gen. Mohammad Hadi Hajriahimi.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, speaking to troops at an Iron Dome defense battery in northern Israel, said any Iranian response to the consulate bombing attacking Israel would be met with a "powerful response in its territory."
Gallant said Israel is being attacked on more than one front by Iranian proxy forces including Hezbollah and Houthis in Yemen.
He said if Iran attacks Israel from its territory the Israeli response will be "very, very effective, very powerful."
Israel has been bracing for Iran's response after Iran accused Israel of bombing the Iranian consulate in Damascus April 1.
Israel's embassies around the world are on a high alert in anticipation of an Iranian retaliatory attack for the consulate bombing.
U.S. forces are also on alert for the possible Iranian response to the consulate bombing.
