How would Tehran respond if the US and Israel bomb Iran again?
As tensions rise ahead of the US midterm elections, Iranian military officials warn that a renewed war with the United States and Israel will be far costlier than previous clashes. Following President Donald Trump's warning that Tehran must agree to a deal or face "the hammer," commanders met Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei—unseen publicly since succeeding his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in March—to prepare asymmetric responses.
Tehran has actively rebuilt its strike capabilities since a June memorandum of understanding. A Reuters investigation revealed that Iranian entities evaded sanctions between January 2025 and June, importing billions in equipment and propellants from China, Russia, and Germany. Upgrades include an Arash attack drone with a doubled 100kg warhead, enhanced missile accuracy, and the ability to strike supertankers in the Strait of Hormuz, according to former IRGC commander Hossein Kanani Moghaddam.
Significant vulnerabilities persist, however. Iranian cities still lack civilian shelters and warning systems, leaving power grids and energy facilities exposed under an ongoing US naval blockade. The repeated strikes have also fueled internal friction: while lawmaker Esmaeil Kowsari insisted Washington failed to topple the state, analyst Hamzeh Rahim Safavi openly criticized the intelligence failures that enabled high-level assassinations.
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