Iran has warned U.S. allies in the Middle East that it would target American military bases on their territory if Washington launches an attack on Iran, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Wednesday.
اضافة اعلان
U.S. forces are stationed at bases across the region, including Bahrain, which hosts the headquarters of the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet, and Qatar, home to Al Udeid Air Base, the forward headquarters of U.S. Central Command.
The warning came after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to intervene in support of protesters in Iran.
Meanwhile, the death toll from ongoing unrest in Iran has risen to around 2,600, according to a human rights organization, in protests described as among the most serious challenges faced by the country’s religious leadership since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
An Israeli official said Israeli assessments indicate that President Trump has decided to intervene, although the timing and scale of any action remain unclear.
The Iranian official, who requested anonymity, said Tehran had urged U.S. allies in the region to prevent Washington from launching an attack.
“Iran has informed countries such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Turkey that U.S. bases on their soil would be targeted if the United States attacks Iran,” the official said.
He added that direct contacts between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff have been suspended, signaling escalating tensions between the two sides.
In a related development, a second Israeli source—a government official—said the security cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received a late-night briefing on Tuesday regarding the possibility of the collapse of the Iranian regime or U.S. intervention against Iran, Israel’s arch-foe, with which it fought a 12-day war last year.
In an interview with CBS News on Tuesday, Trump vowed to take “very strong action” if Iran carries out executions of protesters.
“If they execute them by hanging, you will see certain things,” he said. He also urged Iranians to continue protesting and to seize institutions, asserting that “help is on the way,” without providing details.
The United States continues its military deployment in the region, including in Bahrain and Qatar, where Al Udeid Air Base—the forward headquarters of U.S. Central Command—is located.
— Agencies
