Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz has responded to the threats of Iranian leader Ali Khamenei against Israel, saying, "On Tisha B'Av, which marks a painful moment of [different kinds of] destruction in Jewish history, and in the midst of the Muslim holiday of sacrifice, Iranian leader Khamenei threatens to attack and destroy the Jewish state. The State of Israel is strong and will last forever, thanks to the Rock of Israel [G-d] and the Israel Defense Forces, but the tyrannical Ayatollah regime will ultimately pass from the world."