Tehran threatens strikes on energy, civilian targets, and nuclear escalation if attacked
Tehran aims to cause even more pain in the case of a renewed campaign, especially at a time when interceptor missile stockpiles are under pressure in Israel and in US-aligned nations in the Gulf.
Iranian officials are warning of a broader range of attacks if the United States and Israel launch a renewed military campaign. According to The Wall Street Journal, Iran has declared it would target not only military bases and ships but also civilian infrastructure such as energy facilities, gas pipelines, airports, and other civilian sites in the Persian Gulf region. Additionally, Iran has threatened to employ a variety of weapons, including nuclear ones.
The head of Iran's parliament's International Affairs Committee, Mohammad-Saleh Jokar, has called for the use of deterrent weapons, including nuclear weapons, to defend the country and serve as a deterrent against a US attack. Jokar also stated that countries hosting US forces in their territories or airspace would face a harsh response and pay a heavy price.
Iran is believed to possess hundreds of thousands of missiles and drones, despite a decline in their stockpile following recent operations. Analysts estimate Iran holds a significant number of ballistic missiles, which the country has been resuming production in underground facilities.
In recent conflicts, Iran has inflicted damage on US air bases, embassies, and fleets in the region, as well as energy and industrial facilities in the UAE, Qatar, Dubai, Kuwait, and Bahrain. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has warned that new attacks could put civilian lives and regional and global economies at significant risk.
Despite significant damage to Iran's weapons stockpiles and defensive capabilities, analysts believe Iran is willing to expand its retaliatory efforts. However, there is a concern that Iran may overextend itself if it attempts to fulfill all its threats. The country must carefully manage its dwindling missile stockpile, according to an expert on the Revolutionary Guard.
While Iran has the capability to cause major damage to the region's energy and internet infrastructure, experts warn that doing so could lead to reciprocal attacks that would inflict significant damage on Iran as well.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
