A potential Israeli assault could focus on Iran’s valuable oil refineries and nuclear installations, though reports suggest Israel has reassured US allies it would avoid damaging such assets.
Iran has directed its military to prepare potential retaliation scenarios in response to any Israeli strike authorised by Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.
Iranian officials, speaking anonymously to The New York Times, confirmed that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had instructed Iran’s armed forces to organise responses that would depend on the intensity of any Israeli action, Mail Online reports.
“If Israel targets crucial sites with widespread damage and casualties, Tehran’s response could be severe,” the officials said, while noting that a limited strike on military compounds might not provoke any counteraction.
A potential Israeli assault could focus on Iran’s valuable oil refineries and nuclear installations, though reports suggest Israel has reassured US allies it would avoid damaging such assets.
Should an attack on Iran’s energy or nuclear infrastructure occur, officials indicated that up to 1,000 ballistic missiles might be launched as retaliation, vastly exceeding the recent strike numbers.
“Just as the Arrow anti-missile systems did not work during Operation True Promise 2, [Israel's newly acquired] THAAD systems will not work either,” IRGC chief Hossein Salami told TASS, urging Israel not to rely on its defences.
In parallel, US officials expressed concerns over leaked Israeli military documents suggesting plans to strike Iran. “President Joe Biden was deeply concerned about the leak,” White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said, while noting uncertainty about the source of the documents’ release.
The leak, which appeared on Telegram, outlined the Israeli Defence Forces’ (IDF) munitions preparations, including long-range ballistic missile handling by the Israeli Air Force (IAF).
The documents detailed handling of “Golden Horizon” missiles, a previously unidentified missile type, and referenced Israel’s substantial preparations since 8 October.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has meanwhile reassured regional partners that Iran does not aim for all-out war.
However, the Iranian military maintains it could overwhelm Israeli defences if needed, and Iranian Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari characterised any anticipated Israeli strike as “desperate, limited, and minor.”
Amidst the tensions, Iran’s foreign ministry has reported to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on threats to its nuclear facilities, while some experts argue that recent conflicts may push Netanyahu to focus more intensively on Iran.