• Khamenei claims Iran achieved victory over Israel, stating it was "almost collapsed."
• The conflict left significant damage to both military and nuclear infrastructure in Iran.
• Iranian leadership suggests the war strengthened internal support for the regime.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared victory over Israel following a 12-day conflict that ended with a U.S.-brokered ceasefire. He stated, "With all that clamor, with all those claims, the Zionist regime, under the blows of the Islamic Republic, has almost collapsed and been crushed," during a televised message to the Iranian populace, emphasizing national triumph over what he termed the "fallacious Zionist regime" according to AA and Channel News Asia.

While Khamenei asserted that Israel's government was "practically knocked out," assessments reveal that Iranian missile attacks resulted in civilian casualties rather than military successes, with 28 reported fatalities from missile strikes—none identified as military personnel according to reports from CBS News. Meanwhile, Israeli attacks reportedly killed over 30 Iranian military leaders and severely damaged critical nuclear infrastructure, which U.S. intelligence suggests may have set Iran's nuclear capabilities back by years, as highlighted by Newsweek.

Importantly, Khamenei framed the conflict as a defeat for U.S. interests, claiming America "gained nothing" from its involvement, which he alleged aimed to prevent the complete destruction of Israel. He asserted that Iran's attacks delivered a "hard slap to America's face" and reinforced Iran's regional military status, as stated in Middle East Eye and TRT Global.

These remarks come amid a backdrop of increased domestic support for the Iranian regime, which some analysts suggest may have been bolstered by the conflict. Despite ongoing internal opposition, Khamenei's rhetoric appears aimed at consolidating control and rallying nationalistic sentiments ever since the war commenced, according to insights shared by Middle East Eye and CBS News.