Wall Street Journal: Tehran has told regional countries it will give a complex response to Israel

The Wall Street Journal reported in an exclusive article that the Islamic Republic of Iran is sending a diplomatic and challenging message to neighboring countries that it is planning a complex response to Israel's retaliatory attack, which includes the use of more powerful warheads and other weapons. According to the report published on Sunday, November 4, this was stated by Iranian and Arab officials who are aware of the Islamic Republic's plans. On November 5, Israel targeted about 20 sites in Iran following the second missile attack by the Islamic Republic and described its operation as successful, contrary to the Iranian government's missile attack on Israel on September 30. These Israeli attacks destroyed Iran's strategic air defense and significantly increased the risk to the Islamic Republic if these threats are realized. The Wall Street Journal writes that it is still unclear whether the new threats from the Islamic Republic are real or just strong rhetoric. Israel's response will depend on the scale, nature, and effectiveness of a potential attack from Tehran. So far, Israel has refrained from targeting oil and nuclear facilities in Iran, which are vital for the country's economy and security; however, Israeli officials have stated that this calculation could change. An Egyptian official said that the Iranian government has privately warned that its response will be 'strong and complex.' An Iranian official stated, 'Our military forces have lost personnel, so they must respond.' He added that the Iranian government may use Iraqi territory for part of its operations and may target Israeli military facilities, 'but much more aggressively than last time.' According to the report, Iranian and Arab officials stated that the Islamic Republic does not intend to limit its response to missiles and drones, and any missile used will have more powerful warheads. The Iranian government stated that in its last attack on Israel on September 30, it primarily used four types of medium-range ballistic missiles, including Emad and Qadr missiles and two of its new and advanced missiles, Khyber-Shikan and Fattah. The Wall Street Journal reported that officials from Egypt, Bahrain, and Oman said that Iranian diplomats shared these outlines after public and private warnings from the United States to Tehran not to engage again with Israel. Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said last week that a potential attack by the Iranian government on Israel or the U.S. would have 'severe consequences.' After the Israeli attack, Iranian officials initially told other countries in the region that they did not intend to respond. However, within a few days, their tone changed. Iranian and Arab officials stated that the Islamic Republic has told Arab diplomats that the military will also be involved, as four soldiers and one civilian were killed in the Israeli attack. The military's involvement does not mean the deployment of its forces, but rather that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which is usually responsible for security issues with Israel, will not act alone in this case. The Wall Street Journal's report comes as the U.S. Department of Defense, the Pentagon, recently announced that it is deploying missile defense equipment, fighter jets, and B-52 bombers in the Middle East to increase its readiness to defend American interests and forces in the region.