Iran Prepares ‘Decisive Response’ to Massive Israeli Attack

Iran is preparing a substantial response to a large-scale attack conducted by Israel against key sites and personnel associated with the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program and military, according to official Iranian media.

“Iran’s response to the Zionist regime early Friday morning attacks will be decisive,” state-run Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) cited an unnamed official as saying in the aftermath of the Israeli attacks.

Iranian Armed Forces spokesperson General Abolfazl Shekarchi also told IRNA that Israel would be met with a severe response, while alleging that the United States played a role in the assault.

“The Zionist enemy, who carried out this action with the support of America and attacked residential areas, will pay a heavy price,” Shekarchi said.

Another unnamed Iranian official was cited by Reuters as saying that “the response to the Israeli attack will be harsh and decisive,” adding that consultations regarding the scope and timing of retaliation were being discussed at the highest levels.”

Newsweek has reached out to the Iranian Mission to the United Nations for comment.

The attacks marked the most serious escalation yet in rising tensions between archenemies Iran and Israel, which twice last year exchanged direct strikes amid the ongoing war between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip.

The prior Iranian operations, known as “Operation True Promise I” and “Operation True Promise II,” both saw hundreds of Iranian missiles and drones launched against Israel in April and May of last year, respectively. In both instances, the U.S. and several other nations came to Israel’s defense in intercepting the incoming salvo, but damage was reported to several sites.

While previous Israeli attacks largely focused on military sites in Iran, the latest strikes, dubbed “Operation Rising Lion,” involved dozens of attacks on military and nuclear infrastructure as well as personnel, including the head of Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Major General Hossein Salami.

This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.