Senior Iranian military leaders said the country’s armed forces remain at what they described as “peak readiness,” warning that any new Israeli strike would draw a swift and forceful response. Deputy IRGC commander Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi told state media on 17 July that Iran’s strength was the reason its adversaries sought a cease-fire after the recent 12-day war with Israel. “If our military had been weakened, the enemies wouldn’t have asked for a cease-fire,” he said, adding that Tehran is prepared to counter any renewed aggression. The comments echoed those of IRGC Ground Forces commander Major General Mohammad Pakpour, who on 25 June said Iranian soldiers have their “fingers on the trigger” and would not hesitate to retaliate. An adviser to the corps repeated on 2 July that an attack on Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei would unleash “chaos” on Israel. Additional officials, including army executive deputy Mohammad Mahmoudi and former defense minister Amir Hatami, said on 17 July that the regular army and Revolutionary Guard are fully coordinated and capable of striking again if necessary.