Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has instructed the military to prepare for a potential war with Israel while advising efforts to avoid conflict, according to four Iranian officials.
The order comes amid escalating tensions and fears of retaliation from Israel after Iranian allies in Gaza and Lebanon suffered heavy losses.
The officials, speaking to Network Times on the condition of anonymity, revealed that Khamenei has directed military commanders to devise multiple strategies in response to a possible Israeli attack.
They emphasised that Iran’s response would depend on the scale of Israel’s aggression. If Israeli strikes target critical infrastructure such as nuclear facilities, energy hubs or result in high casualties, Iran has vowed to retaliate decisively.
Options under consideration include launching up to 1,000 ballistic missiles, mobilising proxy militant groups across the region, and disrupting energy shipments through the…