DUBAI, October 26 /TASS/. Iran considers it necessary to respond to Israel’s attack on its soil, with the support of the UN Charter, according to a statement from the Iranian Foreign Ministry.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran strongly condemns the Zionist regime’s acts of aggression against a number of military sites in Iran as a clear violation of international law and the UN Charter, especially the principle prohibiting the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity and national sovereignty of countries” , the diplomatic agency said.

It noted that “based on the inherent right of self-defense, which is also reflected in Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, the Islamic Republic of Iran considers itself to have the right and duty to defend itself against external aggression.”

Tehran “underlines the necessity of immediate and urgent mobilization of the global community to stop the Israeli regime’s genocide, war and aggression against Gaza and Lebanon, and to curb the regime’s warmongering.”

“Undoubtedly, the ongoing occupation, illegal acts and crimes of the Zionist regime in the region, especially the genocide against the Palestinian people and the aggression against Lebanon – perpetuated by extensive military and political support from the United States and some other Western countries – remain the main cause of tension and insecurity in the region,” the ministry stressed.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) earlier said it carried out surgical strikes against military targets in Iran “in response to months of continuous attacks”.

The Iranian military, in turn, said some of its facilities in the provinces of Tehran, Khuzestan and Ilam had been attacked but Israel had managed to cause only limited damage, while the country’s air defense system deflected most of the impact.

On the evening of October 1, Iran launched a massive missile attack on Israel in response to the assassinations of key leaders of Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Tehran claimed that 90% of the missiles hit their intended targets, while Israel said that Iran only fired about 180 missiles and most of them were intercepted.

The Israeli General Staff vowed to “choose the right moment” to surprise Iran with a counterattack, while Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that attacks on Israel will only increase.