Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has reportedly directed the country's armed forces to prepare contingency plans for a potential missile strike against Israel, following rising tensions after Iran's recent ballistic missile attack on October 1. With speculation that Iran could unleash a barrage of up to 1,000 missiles in retaliation for significant Israeli strikes, military readiness is a top priority. This strategic pivot reflects Iran's precarious balancing act of asserting military strength while simultaneously seeking to avoid a full-scale war.