Iran is readying for a war with Israel while at the same seeking to avoid one, The New York Times reported. This comes as Tehran waits for Tel Aviv’s response to its October 1 ballistic missile attack on Israel.“Iran has ordered the armed forces to be prepared for war but also to try to avoid it,” The Times wrote. The Times’ report said Iran’s Supreme Leader has ordered Iran’s armed forces to formulate numerous plans for responding to the expected Israeli retaliation.The report, citing Iranian officials, said Tehran will attack if there is significant damage or casualties. The officials told The Times that Iran will respond if Israel targets its oil sites, nuclear facilities, or senior officials. The potential Iranian response could include an attack with up to 1,000 ballistic missiles or the disruption of energy supplies in the region. However, if Israel limits its attack to a few military targets, Iran might well do nothing, The Times’ report added.“In the event of an Israeli attack, the shape of our response will be proportionate and calculated,” Iran’s foreign minister said on October 23.
