So far, publicly available indications point to Tehran preparing for a much harsher retaliation if attacked again, rather than showing clear evidence that it has decided to launch a preemptive strike.
Any Iranian first strike would radically alter the political and military equation and could provide Washington with the justification it seeks to expand the war.
We are therefore entering an extremely dangerous phase:
U.S. forces are being assembled, Gulf air defenses are being reinforced, and Washington’s military options are expanding — but the zero hour, and the exact form of any operation, have not yet been publicly determined.