The United States has directly warned Tehran against launching another attack against Israel, saying it will not be able to restrain its ally this time, Axios reported citing an American official, amid reports of Iran's preparations for another strike on Israel.
In a direct message sent to Iran through the Swiss, the Biden administration warned the Islamic Republic that Israel's response to a possible Iranian attack will not be as limited as the one launched last Saturday.
"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," a US official told Axios.
On October 1, Iran launched its largest direct missile strike to date in the ongoing Iran–Israel conflict. In retaliation for the strike, Israel responded on October 26 with airstrikes targeting Iranian missile facilities and air defense systems, resulting in the deaths of four Iranian soldiers and one civilian, according to Iranian sources.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said on Saturday that "the United States and the Zionist regime (Israel) will certainly receive a crushing response."
The Israeli Army Radio, citing unnamed American officials, reported that Washington has recorded military movements in Iran in preparation for an attack on Israel.
The Biden administration estimates that Iran will respond to Israel's October 26 airstrikes, but "it is not clear when and how," Israel's public broadcaster Kan News reported Saturday, confirming the Israeli Army Radio's report about "initial movements" indicating preparations for an attack.
A NOTAM was issued on Saturday for gun firing exercises near Hamedan, Iran, scheduled daily from November 4 to November 6, 2024, between 0230 and 1830 UTC. The affected area spans from ground level up to 10,000 feet AMSL.
The NOTAM has been issued amid reports of an imminent strike against Israel; however, Tehran did not issue any NOTAMs during its previous attacks on Israel in April and October.
Esmail Kowsari, a member of Iran’s parliament and a former IRGC general, said Saturday that Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) has authorized a military strike against Israel. He said the response would be much harsher than the October 1 missile barrage that saw Iran launch nearly 200 missiles at targets in Israel.
“While certain government officials may believe we should not retaliate, these individuals, whether within or outside the government, do not make the decisions… This decision for a military response to the Zionist regime was made by the SNSC. Almost unanimously, or rather all members of the SNSC have agreed on a military response by Iran to Israel” he said in an interview with a Tehran website on Saturday.
The SNSC's decision came after Khamenei was briefed on the extent of the damage from the Israeli strikes and felt that the deaths and the scale of Israel’s attack necessitated a response to avoid being seen as admitting defeat, The New York Times reported citing three officials familiar with Tehran’s war planning.
Israeli air strikes over the weekend knocked out Iran's last three Russian-provided S-300 air defense missile systems and has left the country "naked", Fox News reported citing US and Israeli officials.
The surface-to-air S-300s were the last in the Islamic Republic's arsenal after one was destroyed in an attack in April also likely carried out by Israel, Fox News quoted a senior US official as saying. The strikes were launched from US-provided F-35 jets, the official added.
In an internal phone call, President Biden's adviser for the Middle East Amos Hochstein said "Iran is essentially naked", according to the US news channel.
With the US warning of an even harsher response from Israel, it remains unclear how Iran will withstand 'unrestrained' airstrikes from the Jewish state without its Russian-provided air defenses.