ISTANBUL 

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz backed down on Monday from an earlier threat for Tehran residents to “pay the price” for Iranian missile attacks.

“I would like to clarify the obvious: there is no intention to physically harm the residents of Tehran as the murderous dictator does against the residents of Israel,” Katz said on his X account.

The defense minister earlier threatened to intensify attacks on the Iranian capital in response to missile attacks against Israel.

“The residents of Tehran will pay the price, and soon,” Katz said following overnight missile attacks that killed at least eight people and injured hundreds.

He said the Tehran residents will be forced to pay the price by “evacuating their homes from areas where it will be necessary to attack regime targets and security infrastructure in Tehran.”

Israeli media suggested that the army will issue orders for the residents of Tehran to evacuate their areas ahead of launching attacks on the capital.

Regional tensions have escalated since Friday, when Israel launched coordinated airstrikes on multiple sites across Iran, including military and nuclear facilities, prompting Tehran to launch retaliatory strikes.

Israeli authorities said that at least 24 people have been killed and hundreds injured in Iranian missile attacks since Friday.

Iran, for its part, said that at least 224 people have been killed and over 1,000 others wounded in the Israeli assault.