Iran is planning a complex and heavier response to Israel's air strike on its military sites, including heavier warheads and more targeted attacks, according to Iranian and Arab diplomats briefed on the plans and talking to the Wall Street Journal.
Iran has blown hot and cold ever since the Israeli air strike which destroyed most of Iran's air defenses and hit or threatened many key strategic sites, even killing a number of Iranian soldiers.
First, they didn't threaten retaliation. Now, they are - but possibly from Iran, maybe from Iraq via pro-Iranian proxies. Meanwhile, the Iranian President has suggested that a ceasefire with Hezbollah or Hamas would change the nature of the attack.
The Journal reports that Iran wants to delay the planned attack until after the US election this Tuesday, two days from now, but before the new President is inaugurated on January 20, 2025.
Meantime, Israeli sources do not believe the Iranian attack is pegged to election day, though they have reported no sign of Iranian buildup or missile deployment as of this writing.
The United States has also warned Iran that any Iranian strike will lead to an Israeli retaliation which would not be restrained to any given target. American assistance may also be provided in such a strike, such as via the B-52s and other planes recently deployed to the Middle Eastern region.
