Iran has signaled its intention to respond to Israel’s attack on October 26 with enhanced weaponry, including more powerful warheads and additional armaments that were not utilized in its prior two assaults.
According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, an Egyptian official disclosed that Iran has privately cautioned Cairo about a “strong and complex” reaction to Israel’s airstrikes on its territory, which were executed in retaliation for Tehran’s ballistic missile strike on October 1.
An Iranian official cited in the report stated that Tehran may utilize Iraqi territory for part of its operations and is expected to target Israeli military installations “with significantly greater aggression than before.”
The official emphasized that the need for retaliation arose from the loss of four Iranian soldiers and a civilian during Israel’s October 26 attack.
“Our military suffered casualties, thus a response is imperative,” the Iranian official was quoted as saying by WSJ.
Additionally, Iranian and Arab officials indicated that Iran does not intend to confine its response to missiles and drones, as it did in the previous two attacks, and any missiles deployed will feature more powerful warheads.
Iran announced that during its attack on Israel on October 2, it predominantly launched four distinct types of medium-range ballistic missiles, specifically the Emad and Ghadr missiles, along with two of its latest and most sophisticated missiles, the Kheibar Shekan and Fattah.
Regarding Iran’s plans for a retaliatory strike against Israel, an Iranian official, as reported by the Wall Street Journal, indicated that Iran does not intend to affect the upcoming U.S. Presidential election, which is set for November 5. The official stated that Iran’s response would occur after the voting on Tuesday but prior to the inauguration of a new president in January.
The officials cited by the Wall Street Journal also suggested that Iran’s military might engage in future operations against Israel. However, this does not necessarily imply the deployment of troops; it could mean that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard may not act independently.
In a related report by Fox News Digital, Behnam Ben Taleblu, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defence of Democracies, remarked that the narrative from Iranian sources has shifted from downplaying the attack to using it as a platform for threats of retaliation. He emphasized that Tehran retains the capability to respond significantly, possessing the ability to launch a greater number of projectiles with heavier warheads than those used in its initial two direct assaults on Israel. He cautioned that escalating tensions without adequate air defenses could either be a reckless move or a strategic step towards justifying the development of nuclear weapons.
