Iran promises befitting reply, US B-52 bombers arrive in Mid East

New Delhi: Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has promised a “befitting reply” to ongoing Israeli military actions. The statement comes after a dramatic escalation, including Israeli commando raids in Lebanon, and comes just days ahead of the US presidential election, in which Washington is Israel’s primary military backer.

“The enemies, both the US and the Zionist regime, should know that they will definitely get a befitting reply,” he declared, referring to Iran-allied groups in the Middle East, including Hezbollah in Lebanon and factions in Yemen and Syria.

Further adding to these tensions, Khamenei’s top adviser Kamal Kharrazi hinted at Iran’s nuclear capability, saying that Iran may reconsider its nuclear policy if an existential threat arises. “If an existential threat arises, Iran will revise its nuclear doctrine, we have the capability to produce weapons and we have no problem in this regard,” Kharrazi told Lebanese media.

The latest confrontation began with a missile attack by Iran on October 1, to which Israel responded with a bombing campaign targeting Iranian military installations on October 26, reportedly killing four Iranian soldiers. Israel claims the airstrikes have significantly damaged Iran’s missile and air defense capabilities, while Iran has vowed retaliation.

Commandos target Hezbollah in Lebanon

In a separate operation, Israeli naval commandos captured a Hezbollah operative in Batroun, Lebanon. The detainee, reportedly a senior operative who received maritime training, is now in Israeli custody.

“A senior Hezbollah activist has been arrested, who works as an expert in his field,” the Israeli military said, according to news agency AFP. “The activist has been transferred to Israeli territory and is currently being investigated.” Lebanese officials, including Prime Minister Najib Mikati, have condemned the raid, with Mikati instructing the foreign ministry to file a complaint with the United Nations. Both the Lebanese army and UN peacekeepers have launched investigations into the incident.

Humanitarian crisis deepens in Gaza

The situation in Gaza is worsening as violence escalates. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that six people, including four children, were injured in a missile attack on a polio vaccination center in northern Gaza. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus condemned the attack on the Sheikh Radwan health center as “extremely worrying.” The Israeli military reported that dozens of militants were killed in the Jabalia region while their operation continues. Civilian casualties continue to rise, with Gaza’s health ministry reporting more than 43,000 deaths since hostilities resumed, although these figures have been challenged by Israeli sources.

Escalation on Israel’s northern border
In Lebanon, Israeli airstrikes have intensified, killing nearly 2,000 people and displacing thousands more, as Hezbollah retaliates with rocket fire into Israeli territory, including attacks on military sites near Haifa and Tel Aviv. In response, the US deployed B-52 bombers to the region in hopes of preventing further escalation from Iran.

A US official warned Tehran that Washington may not be able to deter Israel in the event of another Iranian attack. “We told the Iranians: we will not be able to deter Israel,” the official reportedly said.