Israel warned Saturday that “Tehran will
\nburn” if Iran keeps targeting its civilians and boasted it now had control of
\nthe airspace from western Iran all the way to the capital.<\/p>\n
“The Iranian dictator is turning the citizens of Iran into hostages and
\nbringing about a reality in which they — especially the residents of Tehran
\n— will pay a heavy price because of the criminal harm to Israeli civilians,”
\nsaid Defence Minister Israel Katz.<\/p>\n
“If (Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali) Khamenei continues to fire missiles
\ntoward the Israeli home front — Tehran will burn.”<\/p>\n
The Israeli military said its raids had cleared its path to the capital. “We
\nhave created aerial freedom of action from west Iran all the way to Tehran…
\nTehran is no longer immune,” said spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin.<\/p>\n
The threat came as Israel and Iran exchanged fire a day after Israel
\nunleashed an unprecedented aerial bombing campaign that Iran said hit its
\nnuclear facilities, “martyred” top commanders and killed dozens of civilians.<\/p>\n
Iran has hit back with waves of drone and missile strikes, with a barrage of
\ndozens lighting up the skies over Jerusalem and Tel Aviv overnight, killing
\nthree people and wounding dozens.<\/p>\n