Senior Iranian military officials have warned that Tehran’s military response against Israel is far from over, declaring that further strikes are imminent and will be “very painful and regrettable for the aggressors”.

“This confrontation will not end with last night’s limited actions,” one unnamed official was quoted as saying by Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency.

“Iran’s strikes will continue,” he said.

The development follows a dramatic escalation in hostilities between the two long-standing rivals, with Iran and Israel exchanging missile and air strikes overnight. The confrontation began after Israel launched its largest-ever air offensive against Iran early on Friday, targeting key military and nuclear infrastructure.

In retaliation, Iran launched a barrage of missiles and drones early Saturday morning, resulting in the deaths of at least three people and injuring dozens more, according to Iranian state media reports cited by AP and Al Jazeera.

The Israeli strikes, reportedly involving warplanes and drones—some of which had allegedly been smuggled into Iran in advance—targeted strategic facilities, military commanders, and nuclear scientists.

Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations claimed the Israeli attacks left 78 people dead and more than 320 injured.

Israel defended its actions, stating that the operation aimed to prevent Iran from nearing nuclear weapons capability. This stance, however, contrasts with assessments from international experts and the United States, who have said Tehran was not actively pursuing nuclear arms at the time of the attack.

The UN and several international actors have called for de-escalation, warning that further conflict could have catastrophic consequences across the region. Yet, with both nations vowing continued action, fears of a broader war continue to mount.