Iran’s top military commander warns Israel of imminent 'punitive' strike

- Maj. Gen. Abdolrahim Mousavi urges residents of Israel to leave their areas immediately to maintain their safety

By Rania Abu Shamala

ISTANBUL (AA) – Iran’s Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, threatened Israel on Tuesday with an imminent punitive strike.

In a recorded message, Mousavi urged residents of Israel, especially Tel Aviv and Haifa, to leave these areas immediately to maintain their safety.

“The operations carried out so far have served as a deterrent warning, and a punitive operation will be carried out soon,” he said.

Regional tensions have escalated since Friday, when Israel launched coordinated airstrikes on multiple sites across Iran, including military and nuclear facilities, prompting Tehran to launch retaliatory strikes.

Israeli authorities said that at least 24 people have been killed and hundreds injured in Iranian missile attacks since Friday.

Iran, for its part, said that at least 224 people have been killed and over 1,000 others wounded in the Israeli assault.

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