Ayatollah Khamenei says America joined the conflict to rescue the "Zionist regime" after Tehran's "crushing" retaliation

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Thursday congratulated his nation with what he called a victory over Israel and the United States following 12 days direct military hostilities.

The confrontation began when Israel killed top Iranian commanders and launched strikes on its nuclear sites. The ensuing exchange of long-range attacks culminated in a US intervention, during which bunker-busting bombs were deployed on Iran's fortified Fordow facility and two other sites.

In a nationally televised address, Khamenei claimed Iran's retaliatory strikes had left Israel "practically knocked out and crushed," compelling the US to step in and protect it.

"The US regime entered the war directly because it felt that if it didn't, the Zionist regime [Israel] would be completely destroyed. It entered the war in an effort to save that regime but achieved nothing," Khamenei said, challenging Washington's assertion that its bombing mission had crippled Iran's nuclear infrastructure.

Khamenei also commended Iran's retaliatory strike on a US military base in Qatar. The attack reportedly followed a warning to the Qatari authorities and caused no damage. The supreme leader described it as "a slap in the face" to Washington, warning that Tehran could target "key US centers in the region" if provoked again.

The remarks marked Khamenei's first public statement since the US airstrikes. Iran and Israel reached a cease-fire agreement on Tuesday, with US President Donald Trump publicly pressuring Israel to halt its military operations.

Israel has maintained that its initial actions were preemptive, aimed at preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Iran has repeatedly denied pursuing such weapons and says it will not abandon its right to peaceful nuclear energy.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reported having seen no evidence that Iran was actively building a nuclear weapon. Tehran has announced it will suspend all cooperation with the UN agency in light of the recent escalation.