Iran’s military leadership announced Thursday intentions to retaliate against recent Israeli strikes but may delay action to avoid benefiting former President Donald Trump’s campaign, according to The New York Times.
Deputy commander of the guards General Ali Fadavi said to Lebanon’s Al Mayadeen television that Iran’s counteraction to Israel in what he termed “Zionist aggression” is inevitable and could devastate Israeli capabilities in a single operation, the NYT reported. The statement marks the first official confirmation from Iran of planned reprisals following Israel’s attacks on Oct. 25, which have heightened tensions in the region.
Iran’s leaders are reportedly wary of actions that could inadvertently aid former Trump’s reelection bid by escalating regional tensions, which could look bad for the Biden-Harris administration, according to the NYT. Despite the heated rhetoric, the timing and nature of Iran’s response remain uncertain, raising questions about potential diplomatic negotiations or delays.
Israel Launches Retaliatory Strikes Against Iran https://t.co/CBPoFpk8KM
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) October 26, 2024
“Iran’s response to the Zionist aggression is definite,” Fadavi said, NYT reported. “We have never left an aggression unanswered in 40 years. We are capable of destroying all that the Zionists possess with one operation.”
Head of the supreme leader’s office, Gholamhossein Mohammadi Golpayegani, also signaled a forceful response to Israel’s actions, which he described as “desperate,” on the semiofficial Tasnim news agency, NYT stated. Despite official claims of thwarting most Israeli attacks, analysts, including George Washington University’s adjunct professor Sina Azodi, suggest that Israel has effectively neutralized significant Iranian defenses.
“They are willing to take this risk to not appear weak and prove they have a grip on power for both domestic and international credibility,” Azodi said, NYT reported.
Amidst these developments, Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has directed the country’s National Security Council to prepare for potential strikes on Israeli military targets, NYT added. Iran launched drones toward Israel in April, escalating its aggression with a recent barrage of about 200 ballistic missiles in October.
The Trump administration took a number of steps to promote peace and stability in the Middle East, countering Iranian aggression, with agreements between Israel, the U.A.E., and Bahrain aimed at enhancing regional security. The Israel-U.A.E. deal grants Muslims increased access to the Al Aqsa Mosque, countering extremist narratives and encouraging peaceful worship.
Trump has had a tenuous relationship with Iran, reaching with Tehran issuing an arrest warrant in June 2020 for him and several aides over the killing of General Qassem Soleimani. The warrant follows a series of escalating confrontations, beginning with Trump’s withdrawal from the 2018 nuclear deal and culminating in Soleimani’s death in a U.S. airstrike in January 2020.
The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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