By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
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 Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, reiterated during the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, that any response would be “proportionate and calculated.”
Iran has also issued warnings to regional neighbours, stating that any support for Israel would make them targets. Araghchi claimed on Tuesday, during a press briefing in Kuwait, that Arab allies had assured Iran they would not permit Israeli jets to use their airspace or refuel at their bases.
Hostilities between Iran and Israel have escalated in recent months. Earlier this year, the two nations exchanged fire following an Israeli strike on an Iranian embassy in Syria. This month, Iran responded with a barrage of nearly 200 ballistic missiles after Israel assassinated Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and Hezbollah’s Hassan Nasrallah.
With tensions now at their peak, Iran has launched a diplomatic push to engage the United States through back channels, urging it to restrain Israel. Iranian leaders are also working to strengthen alliances with regional powers and are consulting with key allies, including Russia, China, and Turkey, to prevent war.
This development comes just days after China’s President Xi Jinping, an ally of Iran, ordered the military to enhance its war preparedness and boost combat capabilities, signaling a heightened focus on strategic deterrence amid rising tensions with the West.