Supreme Leader Khamenei threatens Israel: Could Iran launch an attack from Iraq?

Report by Toni Mrad, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi

Missiles fill the skies over Israel, and air-raid sirens blare across the country. 

Could Iran repeat this scene as it readies its response to last month's Israeli attack? 

Anticipation is high, with the Washington Post reporting that Iran's reaction could come within days. Israeli media outlets indicate that Israel is preparing a preemptive strike, with planning reportedly discussed alongside U.S. military leadership in Tel Aviv.

In a direct statement, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a warning: "Enemies, including America and the Zionist entity, should know they will receive a response that will crush their teeth for their actions against Iran and the resistance front."

Several reports speculate on what form this Iranian response might take. 

Recently, Axios reported that Israeli intelligence believes Iran may be preparing to launch an attack from Iraq, potentially utilizing drones and ballistic missiles, with the timing possibly aligned with next week's U.S. elections. 

According to the report, Iranian-backed factions in Iraq—not Iran directly—could carry out the attack, suggesting Tehran aims to avoid direct retaliation for its response.

A senior Iraqi government source told LBCI that he declined to comment directly on the Axios report, referring to it as media speculation. 

Meanwhile, Ali Khamenei's adviser, Kamal Kharazi, suggested that Iran may expand the range of its ballistic missiles and might reconsider its nuclear doctrine if faced with an existential threat. 

Notably, any shift in Iran's nuclear policy would require a directive from Khamenei himself, who has previously issued a religious decree (fatwa) forbidding nuclear weapon development and storage, labeling their use as morally impermissible.

The prospect of a shift in Iran's nuclear doctrine has raised concerns in the West. 

In response, the current U.S. administration reaffirmed its commitment to preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, stating its readiness to employ all national powers to secure this outcome.

As the conflict intensifies, the stage is set for an Israeli-Iranian confrontation, with the United States standing firmly behind Israel, supplying military, logistical, and diplomatic support without hesitation. The stakes in the Middle East have never been higher.