Iran shows military might as tensions with Israel soar

As regional tensions run high, Iran paraded drones, missiles and soldiers on Wednesday to show it is ready for any response from Israel after launching an unprecedented attack on its bitter enemy.

The Islamic republic carried out its first-ever direct attack on Israel at the weekend in response to an April 1 air strike on its consulate in Damascus which has been widely blamed on Israel.

The operation dubbed Honest Promise "brought down the glory of the Zionist regime (Israel)", President Ebrahim Raisi said at a military base on the outskirts of Tehran.

"This operation showed that our armed forces are ready," he said in a speech addressed to the regular army and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Wednesday's parade saw the Iranian armed forces showcase a range of military equipment including drones and long-range ballistic missiles.

Among them were multiple versions of the Ababil, Arash and Mohajer drones as well as the Dezful medium-range ballistic missile and S-300 air defence missile system.

Raisi on Wednesday reiterated warnings against "the slightest act of aggression" by Israel, saying it would lead to "a fierce and severe response".

Israel has vowed to respond to the weekend attack, with military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari saying Iran would not get off "scot-free".

The Israeli army said most of the projectiles fired by Iran were shot down -- with the help of the United States and other allies -- and that the attack caused only minimal damage.

Iran hailed the attack as "successful" and said it "achieved all its objectives" including inflicting damages to the air base and intelligence centre which it says was used by Israel to strike the Damascus consulate.

On Wednesday, Iran's air force commander Hamid Vahedi warned Iran's enemies against making a "strategic error".

"We are 100 percent ready in all aerial fronts," he was quoted as saying by ISNA news agency.

In his speech, Raisi also hit out at countries that had "sought to normalise relations" with Israel.

"These countries are now humiliated in front of their own people which constitutes a strategic failure for the regime" of Israel, he said.

In 2020, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco normalised relations with Israel as part of the US-brokered Abraham Accords, vehemently criticised by the Palestinians.

Egypt and Jordan signed peace accords with Israel in 1979 and 1994, respectively.