Iranian military leaders pledge severe retaliation against Israel following the UN atomic chief's warning against attacking nuclear facilities.

The U.N.'s atomic watchdog is working to prevent a nuclear escalation between Iran and Israel, as Tehran's military leaders have vowed a crushing response to Jerusalem's recent strikes.

This week, Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, traveled to Iran to meet with high-level officials and hold Tehran accountable for prior nuclear safeguarding commitments, as well as to obtain clarity on the status of Iran's nuclear program.

Grossi warned Israel not to attack Iran's nuclear installations, even as Tehran continues to develop its nuclear program despite international efforts to halt it.

During a news conference on Thursday, Grossi made comments about Iran's vulnerability to attacks on its nuclear facilities, three days after Katz stated that Iran was "more exposed than ever" for such strikes.

He stated that we have the chance to accomplish our top priority - preventing the imminent danger to the existence of Israel.

The U.S. official stance on Israeli strike options against Iran's nuclear sites may change as the Biden administration prepares to leave and President-elect Trump takes office in January.

Grossi's visit to Iran coincides with a critical moment in geopolitics, as the U.S. under the Trump administration may adopt a more confrontational stance towards Iran. However, it is uncertain how Washington's policies in the region will evolve.

Despite threats from Trump and Israel, Iran remains unphased and has vowed to respond with a counterattack after Israel's attacks in October.

In a meeting with Major Sajjad Mansouri's family on Thursday, Major General Seyyed Abdolrahim Mousavi vowed to deliver a "crushing" response to Israel following the Oct. 26 attacks.

"Our response will be determined, and there will be no hesitation when the time comes. It will be crushing, as Ayatollah Ali Khamenei earlier stated that Tehran would issue a crushing response."

On Thursday, Ali Fadavi, the Deputy Commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, stated that the world will witness the downfall of the Zionist regime, which will mark the victory of righteousness over falsehood.

According to Iran International, he stated, "This is a divine promise: the party of God shall prevail, and the party of evil shall face defeat."

Israel has intensified its assaults against Iran-supported groups such as Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization in Syria.

On Thursday, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) carried out strikes on militant positions in Beirut and Damascus, targeting terrorist infrastructure sites and command centers, as stated by the IDF.

According to Haaretz, six individuals were killed and 15 others were injured in an Israeli airstrike that targeted a southern Beirut apartment building, as stated by the Lebanese Health Ministry.

It is unclear how many of the casualties in Beirut were terrorists or civilians, despite residents being allegedly advised to evacuate before the strikes.

In Damascus, 16 more people were injured and 15 others were killed in the strikes.

On Thursday, Ali Larijani, Senior Advisor to Khamenei, reportedly visited Damascus and is scheduled to lead a high-ranking delegation to Lebanon, according to an Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson, as reported by the Islamic Republic News Agency.

The spokesperson stated that Larijani planned to meet with top Syrian officials, including the prime minister and the speaker of the Lebanese parliament, to discuss recent regional developments.

At the time of the strikes, it was unclear if he was in Damascus or Beirut.