The Iranian Supreme Leader implicitly acknowledges that Tehran has achieved little in its attack on Israel

JERUSALEM — Iran's supreme leader on Sunday rejected any discussion of whether Tehran's unprecedented drone and missile attack on Israel had hit anything there, a tacit admission that despite launching a major offensive, few of the projectiles actually reached their targets. .

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's comments to senior military commanders were not addressed The clear Israeli retaliatory strike Friday on the central city of Isfahan, although air defenses opened fire and Iran halted commercial flights in most parts of the country.

Analysts believe that both Iran and Israel, arch regional rivals engaged in a shadow war for years, are trying to ease tensions following a series of escalatory attacks between them. The war between Israel and Hamas In the Gaza Strip, it is raging and igniting the entire region.

Khamenei (85 years old) made these statements at a meeting attended by senior commanders of the Iranian regular army, police and paramilitary Revolutionary Guards, a powerful force within the Shiite theocracy.

Khamenei said in statements broadcast on state television: “Discussions between the other party about the number of missiles that were launched, how many of them hit the target, and how many did not, these are of secondary importance.”

He added: “The main issue is the emergence of the Iranian nation and the Iranian military will on the important international arena. This is what matters.”

Iran launched hundreds of drones, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles that sought to overwhelm Israeli air defenses in the April 13 attack — the first on Israel by a foreign power since the Iraqi dictator. Saddam Hussein fired Scud missiles at Israel In the 1991 Gulf War.

However, Israeli air defenses and fighter jets, with support from the United States, the United Kingdom and neighboring Jordan, The vast majority were dropped From the coming fire.

Satellite images analyzed by The Associated Press showed on Saturday The Iranian attack caused only minor damage At Nevatim Air Base in southern Israel, including removing part of the corridor that Israel quickly repaired.

The Iranian attack was in response to a suspected Israeli raid on April 1 that targeted a consulate building next to the Iranian embassy in Damascus, Syria. As a result, two Guard generals and others were killed.

Khamenei added: “Today, thanks to the work done by our armed forces, the Revolutionary Guards, the army and the police, each in its own way, and thank God, the country’s image throughout the world has become praiseworthy.” Iran faces popular anger over its economy and suppression of dissent.