Iran Threatens New Fronts and Greater Surprises

Following the revelation that 3,000 U.S. soldiers have been deployed to Israel, reports indicated Israeli preparations for any field developments related to Iran, as Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran, Mohsen Rezaee, warned that “the enemy’s next mistake will lead to the opening of new fronts and greater surprises.”

Ynet cited sources stating that the Israeli military is preparing proactive offensive options to execute an independent move if necessary, alongside defensive preparations in anticipation of Tehran launching hostile actions if it concludes that such moves could help it escape the siege imposed by Washington.

The newspaper noted that Tel Aviv and Washington continue close intelligence and operational coordination regarding Iran, pointing out the presence of U.S. officers in Tel Aviv and Israeli officers in the United States. However, it ruled out unilateral Israeli or U.S. action before the upcoming U.S. midterm elections in November.

For his part, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, during a ceremony in Jerusalem marking the third anniversary of the October 7 attacks, stated that Israel had turned the situation upside down and pushed the threat away from its borders on all fronts in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria.

Netanyahu described the attacks launched by the Palestinian Hamas movement as “the opening shot in the Iranian axis’s plan to annihilate Israel and strangle it with a ring of fire.”

He added that there are “thousands of deadly missiles aimed at our cities and towns, and nuclear bombs, with the goal of destroying our state and erasing it from the face of the earth.”

The prime minister, who is facing difficult elections in the coming weeks, emphasized that “Hamas will not rule in Gaza,” while hinting at continuing strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon to create an opportunity for peace with Beirut, and affirmed that “as for Iran, we will not allow the regime of terror in Tehran to threaten our existence.”

In Tehran, Chief of Staff Ali Bagheri warned that if Israel, for any reason, “miscalculates” again and initiates another war, “the wrath of the armed forces will dissipate its hopes and aspirations.”

He noted that “whether before or after the congressional elections, and regardless of the outcome, if Washington, on its own or instigated by Netanyahu, takes any action against Iran, the armed forces will immediately target U.S. interests without restrictions, severely, and painfully,” adding that if war resumes, “its fires will engulf everyone.”

Qashqai addressed neighboring countries, saying, “If you target our infrastructure, we will target yours. It will not be the case that our homes lose electricity while yours remain lit, or that our people suffer water shortages while you have an abundance.”

Concurrently with the announcement that oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz have exceeded pre-war levels, a British agency reported that a tanker crossing the strait complied with warnings from the Revolutionary Guard and retreated off the coast of Khasab, Oman, amid escalating attacks on ships in recent days, which did not appear to reduce shipping.

In a separate development, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio affirmed that the United States still trusts the security of all its military bases in Britain, after the U.S. returned all B-1 bombers stationed at RAF Fairford in the UK to American soil.

CNN cited a source stating that the unusual move came after a “new threat” was detected, while London authorities continue their investigation with a British-Iranian suspect regarding a plot to bomb the airbase.

On the domestic Iranian front, amid escalating protest demands and early signs of economic and financial collapse, Iranian authorities executed citizens convicted of killing four police officers during last January’s protests, which preceded the outbreak of war. Meanwhile, an attack on a patrol in Sistan and Baluchestan resulted in the deaths of two police officers.