TEHRAN, NOV 4 (RTSG) – Iran’s supreme leader pledged on Saturday to deliver a “crushing response” to Israel’s assaults on Iranian military and missile defense facilities, asserting that these attacks would “not go unanswered” and suggesting that Iranian-backed groups may play a role in any retaliation.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s remarks in Tehran marked his most explicit acknowledgment yet regarding a possible response to Israel’s strikes on October 26. Israeli officials have indicated that they believe Iran is gearing up for retaliation, referencing intelligence reports.

During his speech, Khamenei did not specifically state that the response would come directly from Iran. Instead, he mentioned that forces fighting Israel and its U.S. allies would act “on behalf of the Iranian nation.”

Tehran supports a network of allied militias across the region, including Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza, the Houthis in Yemen, and various proxy groups in Iraq. These groups serve to extend Iran’s influence in the Middle East while providing a defense against direct attacks on Tehran.

Militia leaders in Baghdad indicated on Saturday that they were either informed of Iran’s plans for retaliation or involved in coordinating them.

“We are fully coordinating with Iran to ensure the success of the strike,” said Ali al-Lami, a member of the political committee of Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, an Iraqi Shiite militia aligned with the Islamic Republic. “Iran has the right to retaliate from any point in the region,” he stated, warning that the strike could heighten the chances of a broader conflict.

Source: Washington Post