CNN: Iran promises “definitive and painful” retaliation against Israeli strikes Before US elections

Iran will deliver a “definitive and painful” response to Israel’s recent attacks.

A senior source informed CNN on October 30 that it may occur with the likelihood of being conducted before the upcoming U.S. presidential election, Caliber.Az reports.

This statement marks a shift from Iran’s earlier efforts to minimize the impact of the Israeli strikes that took place on October 25, the first instance in which Israel has openly acknowledged targeting Iranian positions.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran’s response to the aggression of the Zionist regime will be definitive and painful,” said the source, who is knowledgeable about Iran’s discussions.

While the source did not specify a date for the expected retaliation, they indicated it could happen “before the day of the U.S. presidential election.”

Initially, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei responded to the strikes with a more tempered stance, suggesting that their significance should “neither be exaggerated nor downplayed.”

In the immediate aftermath of the attack, Iran attempted to downplay the damage inflicted on its military infrastructure. Officials in Tehran even claimed that the Israeli Defence Forces' announcements of a successful operation were an attempt at “psychological warfare.”

With the U.S. elections set for Tuesday, November 5, speculation arises that Iran could act within the next week. An Israeli official responded with a warning: “If they respond, they will receive double in return.”

The White House reiterated its call for Iran to refrain from retaliating against Israel. White House spokeswoman Karin Jean-Pierre, when asked about potential Iranian action, stated, “Iran should not respond to Israel's retaliation. They should not... If they do, we will support Israel in defending itself, but they should not.”

State Department spokesman Matthew Miller also commented on the situation, stating he could not predict Iran's actions but emphasized that “Iran doesn't need to respond.” He declined to discuss any communications between the two governments regarding a possible pre-election attack, stating, “But as we have stated publicly, and Iran clearly knows this, they must not escalate this conflict.”

In the aftermath of the Israeli attack, which targeted missile production facilities and damaged air defence systems in Tehran, Israeli officials anticipated an Iranian response, although the specifics remained uncertain.

On October 30, Iranian Defence Minister Aziz Nasir Zadeh made statements regarding the recent strikes and threats, asserting, “There was no disruption in the pace of missile production.” He emphasized that “Iran can launch dozens of counterattacks such as 'The Real Promise' (the name given to two attacks carried out in Israel). We will respond to any attack on our lands, even if it is just a single bullet.”

Israel's recent operation, termed Days of Repentance, marked the first publicly declared assault on Iran in response to ballistic missile attacks launched toward Israel earlier this month. The operation involved dozens of fighter jets and reportedly caused significant damage to Iran’s air defence systems and ballistic missile production capabilities.

The ultimate decision regarding any retaliatory strike will rest with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who appears to favour avoiding a full-scale war. Recently, Khamenei made a non-committal statement about potential revenge, noting, “Israel made a miscalculation and must understand the will of the Iranian people. Israel's step should not be exaggerated — nor should it be underestimated.”

By Tamilla Hasanova