Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has described its recent missile attack on Israel as a warning and cautioned that any Israeli retaliation would trigger a far more destructive counterattack. Reporting from Tehran, Al Jazeera’s correspondent said the IRGC’s statement indicates Iran does not intend to continue the strikes for now but is prepared for escalation if provoked.

According to the report, Iran’s message emphasizes that it has fulfilled a promise to the people of Lebanon and delivered a strong signal to Israel. Tehran seeks to frame the conflict as extending beyond a bilateral issue, urging Israel to halt its operations in Lebanon. The key uncertainty remains whether Israel will respond militarily, as it faces significant pressure from the United States to avoid retaliatory action.

Analysts cited in the report suggest that if Israel refrains from striking Iran but continues bombing Lebanon, Tehran’s objectives may fail. Conversely, if Israel ceases its attacks in Lebanon, Iran could claim a major political victory and use the resulting ceasefire as a platform for further negotiations.