Iran has reportedly placed its armed forces on high alert, preparing for potential conflict yet seeking to avoid escalation, according to a report in The New York Times, cited by Times of Israel. This move follows direct instructions from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has ordered Iran’s military to formulate a range of defensive and retaliatory plans in the event of an Israeli strike. The report quotes four senior Iranian officials, including two members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, who indicated that Iran would retaliate if any significant harm or casualties were inflicted in Israeli attacks. However, they specified that if Israel targets only limited military sites or weapon depots, Tehran’s response may differ. Besides, Iranian officials clarified that any direct assault on critical assets – including oil facilities, nuclear inst.