Tehran has pledged a military retaliation against Israel following airstrikes carried out last Saturday. This response is reportedly planned before the U.S. presidential election on November 5, according to multiple media sources.
The recent conflict escalated when Israel targeted sites in Iran as a counteraction to a missile barrage fired by Iran at Israel in early October, which was in retaliation for the deaths of Hezbollah and Iranian commanders. Both nations have engaged in direct attacks multiple times this year, reflecting a dangerous spiral of violence in the region.
U.S. news outlets have suggested that Iran’s response could occur within days. A senior source familiar with Iran’s strategy told CNN that “the response of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the aggression of the Zionist regime will be definitive and painful.” While an exact timeline for the retaliation remains unspecified, it is anticipated to unfold before the upcoming U.S. elections.
High-ranking Iranian officials have echoed calls for retaliation. Hossein Salami, the commander-in-chief of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC), vowed an “unimaginable answer” to the Israeli strikes, according to the Tasnim news agency. The IRGC’s deputy commander, Ali Fadavi, stated that an Iranian response is “inevitable,” asserting, “For over 40 years, we have never left any attack unanswered.”
Additionally, Mohammad Mohammadi Golpayegani, an aide to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, declared that Iran would deliver “a harsh and regretful response” to the recent Israeli attack. Intelligence reports from Israeli sources indicate that Iran is preparing for an imminent strike.
Contrasting views from various sources suggest that while some expect the attack to occur soon, others believe it may be postponed until after the election to avoid benefiting former President Donald Trump’s chances for reelection.
Khamenei has reportedly ordered preparations for a retaliatory strike, deeming Israel’s recent actions too significant to overlook. The tensions between Israel and Iran have surged since Israel commenced military operations in Gaza, following Hamas’s unexpected assault last October, which resulted in around 1,100 Israeli fatalities and over 200 kidnappings. The Israeli response has led to more than 43,000 Palestinian deaths, according to local officials, further exacerbating the conflict in the region.
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