As unnamed Iranian and Arab officials told the publication, the Iranian authorities do not plan to limit their response to missiles and drones, as was the case in previous attacks. According to them, any missiles used in this case will have more powerful warheads.
Iran is planning a comprehensive response using even more powerful warheads and other weapons, Iranian and Arab officials briefed on the government's plans told the publication. Iran has told Arab diplomats that the country's conventional army would be involved in the retaliatory strike, the sources added.
According to the publication, the involvement of the regular army does not mean that Iranian troops will be deployed, but that the paramilitary Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which usually handles Israel's security issues, "will not act alone" in this case. The publication noted, citing another unnamed Iranian official, that Iran might use Iraqi territory for part of the operation and will most likely strike Israeli military targets, but much more aggressively than last time."
"Our military lost people, so they need to respond," the publication quoted an unnamed Iranian official as saying.
Another unnamed Iranian official cited the US presidential election as another factor influencing Iran's retaliatory strike against Israel. According to the source, Iran would not like to influence the outcome of the election with its attack. Unnamed officials from Egypt, Bahrain and Oman told the Wall Street Journal that Iranian diplomats gave this "broad outline" of the retaliatory attack after warnings from the United States against "engaging in a tit-for-tat" with Israel.
On Saturday, Axios reported, citing sources, that the United States had warned Iran that it would not be able to stop Israel from retaliating if Tehran attacked.