Tehran has worked out contingencies and intends to respond in force, the Revolutionary Guard has warned
FILE PHOTO: Rockets are seen over Jerusalem as a siren sounds a warning of incoming missiles fired from Iran, in Jerusalem, October 1, 2024 © AP / Mahmoud Illean
The Iranian military has prepared “at least ten” scenarios for a possible Israeli strike, according to the news agency run by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Iran bombarded Israel with a barrage of missiles last Tuesday, striking a number of military bases in what Tehran said was a response to recent Israeli killings of Hamas and Hezbollah leaders. Israel vowed to launch a “serious and significant” strike in reprisal.
Tehran has prepared at least ten scenarios for responding to any Israeli action, the Tasnim news agency said on Monday evening.
“Iran’s response will not necessarily be reciprocation at the same level of the Israelis’ action, but it may be harsher and aim for different targets that would intensify the effectiveness of the response,” the agency’s military source said.
Because Israel is so much smaller than Iran and has “less and more sensitive” infrastructure, Iranian retaliation could cause “unprecedented troubles,” according to Tasnim’s source.
Any country that assists Israel in a possible attack “will have crossed Iran’s red lines and will suffer damage,” the source insisted.
The comment appeared to be aimed at the US, which has been coordinating with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government about a possible strike on Iran. Last week, Tehran sent a message to Washington via Qatar that Iran was done with “unilateral self-restraint.”
On Sunday, Israeli TV channel Kan11 claimed that Washington had offered West Jerusalem a “compensation package” for not striking Iranian nuclear sites or oil facilities. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told CNN, however, that “everything is on the table.”
Monday marked the anniversary of the October 7 raid into southern Israel by Hamas, which claimed some 1,200 lives. Israel responded by declaring war on the Gaza-based Palestinian group, which has since resulted in widespread devastation and the deaths of at least 41,000 people, according to the local authorities.
Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh was killed in Tehran in August. Israel did not officially claim responsibility for the hit. West Jerusalem did claim the airstrike that killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut last month during a campaign against the Lebanon-based Shia militia that has claimed over 2,000 lives so far.