Iran is preparing to launch 2,000 missiles simultaneously at Israel, working around the clock to overwhelm Israeli defenses with sheer numbers, regional sources told The New York Times.
According to the report, Iran is also continuing work on a new enrichment site. Tehran has refused to allow international inspectors access to this site or any other suspected nuclear sites beyond those already declared.
Iran is expected to respond to any Israeli attack far less restrained than it did in June, said Ali Vaez, director of the Iran Project at the International Crisis Group. Iranian sources told him missile factories are working 24 hours a day, he said, and if there's another war, "they hope to fire 2,000 at once to overwhelm Israeli defenses, not 500 over 12 days," as they did in June.
However, there's no evidence of an imminent new attack. But "Israel feels the work isn't complete and sees no reason not to renew the conflict, so Iran is doubling its readiness for the next round," he explained.
The New York Times notes Iran is more isolated from the West than it has been in decades. Regional Arab powers like Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates have increased their influence in Washington and with President Donald Trump, partly through economic ties and partly through willingness to work with the US to try to find a lasting settlement to the Gaza war. Syria's new president will arrive at the White House on Monday to seek American support. Syria was Iran's strategic ally under the Assad government that collapsed last year.
At the same time, those same regional powers are working to maintain their relationships with Iran, according to Sanam Vakil, director of the Middle East and North Africa Program at Chatham House.
Israeli officials have warned since June that they're prepared to strike Iran again if it gets close to producing nuclear weapons, an intention Iran has always denied. Israelis acknowledge Iran's nuclear program has been weakened but not destroyed, partly because Trump stopped the June war earlier than Israel wanted.
Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said Tuesday American hostility toward Iran is deeply rooted. "America's arrogant nature accepts nothing but submission," he said in a speech marking the anniversary of the takeover of the American embassy in Tehran on November 4, 1979.
Last week, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Washington proposed "unacceptable and impossible conditions," including direct talks and a complete, verifiable halt to Iran's uranium enrichment. He again rejected direct talks and ended enrichment.
But he reiterated Iran remains open to indirect talks under certain conditions. They include guarantees against further military attacks or economic pressure and compensation for war damages, demands Washington isn't willing to accept. In his remarks to Al-Jazeera, Araghchi also warned Israel of "grave consequences" for any future attack.
