by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – In defiance of U.S. warnings against striking Israel, Iran is threatening a complex response involving more powerful warheads and additional weaponry, according to Iranian and Arab officials familiar with the plans, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported.

These warnings come as the U.S. has reportedly warned Iran in recent days against launching another attack on Israel, cautioning the Biden Administration may not be able to restrain Israel if it attacks again, Axios reported Saturday, citing an unnamed U.S. official and a former Israeli official.

The U.S. official reportedly stated, “We told the Iranians: We won’t be able to hold Israel back, and we won’t be able to make sure that the next attack will be calibrated and targeted as the previous one.”

Iran does not intend to restrict its response to missiles and drones as it did in previous attacks; any missiles used this time would carry more powerful warheads, according to Iranian and Arab officials. An Egyptian official reported that Iran has privately warned of a “strong and complex” response.

“Our military lost people, so they need to respond,” an Iranian official stated, adding that Iran might use Iraqi territory for part of the operation and would likely target Israeli military facilities “but much more aggressively than last time,” the Wall Street Journal detailed.

Israel’s Kan public broadcaster reported Saturday that while U.S. officials have observed “initial movements” suggesting Iran is considering a response, there are no clear indications yet on the timing or nature of such action.

However, the timing of Iran’s response according to the WSJ seems aimed to avoid influencing the U.S. election, according to the official, who noted the action would likely occur after Tuesday’s voting but before the new president is inaugurated in January. U.S. intelligence agencies report that Iran favors Kamala Harris over Donald Trump.

Israel’s Channel 12 reported that Israel’s security establishment believes Iran may respond indirectly through Shiite militias in Iraq and Yemen to avoid further attacks on Iranian soil. Senior Israeli officials warned of a strong response to any attack, regardless of its origin.

Earlier Saturday, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei warned Israel and the U.S. of “a crushing response” to their actions against Iran and its allies.

“The enemies, whether the Zionist regime or the United States of America, will definitely receive a crushing response to what they are doing to Iran and the Iranian nation and to the resistance front,” Khamenei said in a video released by Iranian state media.

On Sunday, Iran observes the 45th anniversary of the U.S. Embassy hostage crisis, as marked by the Persian calendar. The November 4, 1979, embassy takeover by Islamist students sparked the 444-day standoff, solidifying the lasting enmity between Tehran and Washington.

Copyright 1999-2024 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.

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