Iran's Khamenei: Israel Risks a 'Heavier Slap'

Iran's supreme leader says his nation had no role in the surprise Hamas attack on Israel, despite allegations to the contrary. But Ayatollah Ali Khamenei nonetheless praised the assault, reports Reuters. "We kiss the hands of those who planned the attack on the Zionist regime," said Khamenei in a televised speech on Tuesday. "This destructive earthquake (Hamas' attack) has destroyed some critical structures which will not be repaired easily," he said, adding that "the Zionist regime's own actions are to blame for this disaster." Speaking at a graduation ceremony for military cadets, Khamenei also issued a warning.

Israel faces an even "heavier slap on its ugly face" should it aggressively retaliate against Gaza, he said, per USA Today. It appears Israel will test that warning. On Tuesday, its military said it had retaken towns bordering Gaza that had been temporarily overrun by Hamas militants and was preparing for a larger offensive, reports the New York Times. As of Tuesday, Israel had called up an unprecedented 360,000 reserves, though it remained unclear whether retaliation would take the form of a ground invasion or be confined mostly to airstrikes. (More Israel-Hamas war stories.)