Rifle in his hand, Iran's Supreme Leader warns Israel 'will not last long'

Iran's Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's first Friday sermon in half a decade was more about optics than just rhetoric against its arch rival Israel. Apart from choosing the historic Imam Khomeini Mosque, which played a key role in the 1979 Islamic Revolution, for his rare sermon, Khamenei was seen holding a Russian-made Dragunov rifle while addressing thousands of Iranians.

The image of the 85-year-old Iranian Supreme Leader flanked by a rifle was a symbol of deterrence, as Khamenei insisted that Iran would not back down in the face of Israeli aggression. "We must stand up against the enemy while strengthening our unwavering faith," Khamenei said, warning that Israel "will not last long".

Khamenei also used the opportunity of a public appearance to boost the morale of Iran's military and the nation as a whole following a string of setbacks suffered by Tehran and its regional allies.

Tensions between Iran and Israel were already mounting following the killings of Hamas' Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and top Iran Revolutionary Guards Corps commander Abbas Nilforoushan.

The assassination of Hassan Nasrallah, chief of the Iran-backed Hezbollah terror outfit, led to a drastic escalation as Tehran launched a barrage of 200 missiles towards Tel Aviv, bringing the two nations to the brink of war.

"The brilliant action of our armed forces a couple of nights ago was completely legal and legitimate," Khamenei, who wields the highest authority in Iran, said.

The Supreme Leader last led Friday prayers in January 2020 after Iran fired missiles at a US Army base in Iraq following a drone strike that killed top Revolutionary Guards commander Qasem Soleimani.