This decision followed a comprehensive briefing on the damage inflicted by the Israeli strikes on missile production facilities and air defense systems. Khamenei reportedly stated that the magnitude of the Israeli attack and the resulting casualties are too significant to overlook, warning that failing to respond would be seen as a sign of weakness.
Iranian military leaders have already compiled a list of numerous potential military targets in Israel. However, it is anticipated that the attack will be delayed until after the U.S. elections, as Iran is concerned that a pre-election strike could bolster Trump's chances of winning. (NYT)
The New York Times reports that three Iranian officials have revealed that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei directed the Supreme National Security Council on Monday to prepare for an attack on Israel. This decision came after he assessed the significant damage caused by Israel’s retaliatory strike earlier this month, which he deemed too severe to overlook.
According to these officials, military commanders are compiling a list of numerous potential military targets in Israel.
The retaliatory strike is unlikely to occur before the U.S. presidential election, as Tehran is concerned that increased regional tensions could benefit Republican nominee Donald Trump, the officials informed NYT. Khamenei reportedly ordered the preparations for the attack after recognizing that the damage from the IDF strike was too substantial to ignore.
The planned attack is expected to originate from Iraq, utilizing a significant number of drones and ballistic missiles, as reported by Axios. Israeli intelligence suggests that Iran is gearing up to launch an attack from Iraqi territory in the coming days, potentially before the U.S. presidential election on November 5, according to two unnamed Israeli sources.
The report indicates that executing the attack through pro-Iran militias in Iraq may be a strategy by Tehran to mitigate the risk of further Israeli strikes on its strategic sites. Later on Thursday, the New York Times reiterated that Khamenei had instructed Iran's Supreme National Security Council to prepare for the strike following an assessment of the damage inflicted on Iran's missile production infrastructure and air defense systems from Israel’s recent retaliatory actions.
