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Iran Warns of Stronger Retaliation to Any Israeli Attack on Infrastructure

By Nigar Bayramli October 8, 2024

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Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi addressed a gathering in Tehran on October 7, marking the first anniversary of the Hamas' attacks on Israel. / Iran International

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi has issued a stern warning, stating that any attack on Iran’s infrastructure will prompt an even stronger response.

“Any attack by the Zionist regime on Iran’s infrastructure will be met with a stronger response,” Araqchi said during a gathering in Tehran on October 7. The event marked the first anniversary of the Hamas attacks on Israel.

He further emphasized that “our enemies know which targets within the Zionist regime are within our reach. They have witnessed firsthand the power of our missiles,” as reported by the IRNA news agency.

Araqchi also reaffirmed Tehran’s commitment to supporting resistance movements, declaring, “We will continue to stand behind the resistance with all our power. No one should doubt this.”

In recent months, Israel has ramped up strikes against the Axis of Resistance, a coalition of Iranian-backed militias and political groups across the Middle East. This network, formed by Iran, aims to confront both the US and Israel. The coalition includes groups such as Lebanese Hezbollah, the Palestinian Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the Yemenite Houthi movement, and various Shiite groups in Iraq and Syria. Most of these organizations have been designated as terrorist groups by the US.

Following a series of devastating Israeli operations against Hezbollah, Iran’s primary proxy, and the assassination of its leader Hassan Nasrallah on September 27, the Islamic Republic responded by launching a large missile barrage against Israel on October 1. This marked Iran’s second missile attack since April, though, like the previous one, it caused minimal damage. Despite Israel’s immediate vow to retaliate severely, no subsequent action has taken place so far.

On October 8, Iran’s Khatam ol-Anbiya Air Defence Base denied reports of explosions in Isfahan province and Tehran, explaining that the sounds were due to tests of a new air defense system.

Iran’s Fars News Agency corroborated this, quoting an “informed source” who also attributed the noise to air defense tests.

Over the night of October 7-8, some reports had surfaced about loud explosions in Isfahan and Shahr-e Rey, near Tehran. Speculation suggested a possible Israeli strike on military and nuclear sites in these areas.

On October 7, “informed military sources” told the Tasnim News Agency that Iran’s armed forces had prepared at least 10 military plans to respond to any potential Israeli attacks. They added that “Iran’s response may not be directly reciprocal but could be more severe, targeting different objectives to maximize its impact.”

The sources also noted that “Israel has a much more limited geography, with more vulnerable and fewer infrastructure targets compared to Iran. Any Iranian action could create unprecedented problems for the Zionists.”

Additionally, the agency reported that “many countries” had informed Iran they would not support any actions that might benefit Israel, warning that “any country assisting Israel in a potential attack on Iran would face consequences.”