Amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has reportedly ordered preparations for a possible strike on Israel. According to The New York Times, three Iranian officials indicated that Khamenei’s decision came after he was briefed on damage caused by recent Israeli airstrikes on Iranian military targets.
The Israeli military claimed these “precise attacks” were in response to Iran’s missile strike on October 1. During discussions, Khamenei emphasized that a lack of response would be akin to “admitting defeat.”
An Iranian official mentioned that any strike might take place after the November 5 U.S. presidential election. Previously, Khamenei’s aide, Mohammad Mohammadi Golpayegani, condemned Israel’s actions, calling for a “harsh and regretful” retaliation, while Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps head Hossein Salami warned that Iran’s response would be “beyond imagination.”
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed Israel’s commitment to preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, emphasizing that Israel has “greater freedom to operate in Iran than ever before.”