Tehran has issued a stern warning, pledging to unleash a weapon "never used before" if Israel retaliates against recent missile and drone attacks.
Israeli authorities have responded firmly, emphasising that Iran will not escape consequences for its aggression, while the international community anxiously awaits developments, fearing the spectre of an uncontrollable conflict in the volatile Middle East.
Iran's declaration came from security chief Abolfazl Amouei, who cautioned that if Israel chooses to respond, Tehran stands ready to employ a previously undisclosed weapon.
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Amouei's statement, though cryptic, underscores Iran's resolve in the face of potential retaliation.
In response to Iran's threat, IDF spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said: "We cannot stand still from this kind of aggression. Iran will not get off scot-free with this aggression. We will respond in our time, in our place, in the way that we will choose."
Tensions in the region have increased since the start of the latest Israel-Hamas war on October 7, when Hamas and Islamic Jihad, two militant groups backed by Iran, carried out a cross-border attack that killed 1,200 people in Israel and kidnapped 250 others.
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Israel responded with an offensive in Gaza that has caused widespread devastation and killed over 33,800 people, according to local health officials.
World leaders have urged Israel not to retaliate after Iran launched hundreds of drones and missiles over the weekend in an unprecedented mission that pushed the Middle East closer to a region-wide war.
The attack happened less than two weeks after a suspected Israeli strike in Syria killed two Iranian generals in an Iranian consular building.