Iran has conveyed diplomatic messages indicating plans for a complex attack on Israel, using more powerful warheads than previously deployed, alongside other advanced weaponry, The Wall Street Journal reported Monday, citing Iranian and Arab officials familiar with the plans.
Tehran reportedly intends to involve its regular military forces, not just the Revolutionary Guards, following the deaths of four Iranian soldiers in an Israeli strike.
An Egyptian source told The Wall Street Journal that Iran personally warned Cairo of a "strong and complex" retaliation. "Our military lost personnel; they need to respond," an Iranian official said, adding that Iraq could be used as part of the operation. The attack is expected to target Israeli military sites but "in a more aggressive manner" than before, the official noted.
The report claims Iran's response will likely go beyond missiles and drones, potentially involving more powerful warheads. In previous attacks on Israel, Iran used four types of medium-range missiles, including Emad, Raad, Kheibar Shekan and Fateh, according to the report.
The Iranian official, amid Israeli intelligence reports suggesting an imminent attack, stated that Tehran does not want to influence the U.S. elections with its retaliation. As a result, the response is expected after Election Day but before the next U.S. president's inauguration.
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Satellite images reveal damage to the Shahroud Space Center, used for Revolutionary Guards' launches in northern Iran's Semnan Province, allegedly due to an Israeli strike during Operation Days of Repentance
(Photo: Planet Labs via AP)
Diplomatic sources from Bahrain and Oman were also briefed by Iranian diplomats on the planned response. Western officials cited by The Wall Street Journal believe Iran’s leadership is debating the scope and nature of the attack—whether it should be directly from Iran or via its proxies to maintain plausible deniability. Israel, meanwhile, is preparing for a serious response, with military officials warning that any Iranian strike will be met with even greater force.
Three days ago, The New York Times reported that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ordered the country’s Supreme National Security Council to prepare for an attack on Israel. The decision followed a detailed briefing from top military commanders on the damage caused by the Israeli strike to Iran's missile production capabilities, air defense systems around Tehran, energy infrastructure, and a key southern port.
According to the report, Khamenei stated that the scale of the Israeli attack and the death of at least four regular army soldiers were too significant to ignore, adding that failing to respond would be perceived as admitting defeat.
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