Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, lashed out at Donald Trump in a televised address to the Middle Eastern country. The leader of the regime branded the US President’s recent statements on Iran “threatening and ridiculous”, hours after Trump said Washington knew the Ayatollah’s location and wanted Iran to surrender. The country’s Supreme Leader insisted Israel has made a “huge mistake”, promising they will be “punished”, adding that his people will not forget the blood of “martyrs” and the attack on their territory.

Mehr News Agency said he also “praised the steadfast, courageous, and timely behaviour of the Iranian nation”, warned “any US military intervention will undoubtedly cause irreparable damage”, and hit out at “threatening and ridiculous statements” made by Mr Trump.

In a likely reference to Mr Trump’s demand for an “unconditional surrender”, he stressed the the Islamic fundamentalist republic would never give up.

Explosions were heard in Tehran early Wednesday as Israeli warplanes pounded Iran’s capital overnight and into Wednesday. Iran launched a small barrage of missiles at Israel with no reports of casualties.

A spokesman for Iran’s foreign ministry warned Wednesday that any American intervention in the ongoing Israeli strikes targeting his country would spark “an all-out war” in the region.

The latest Israeli strikes hit a facility used to make uranium centrifuges and another that made missile components, the Israeli military said.

We’ll be bringing you the very latest updates, pictures and video on this breaking news story.

For the latest news and breaking news visit: News – Latest UK & World News Stories | Express.co.uk

Stay up to date with all the big headlines, pictures, analysis, opinion and video on the stories that matter to you.

Follow our social media accounts here on facebook.com/DailyExpress and @‌Daily_Express