Iran Warns of Severe Retaliation Amid Rising Tensions
The IRGC said the attack on Iran’s energy infrastructure had taken the conflict to a new stage
Tehran: Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has taken responsibility for attacks on what it described as oil facilities associated with the US in the region. The IRGC said the strikes were part of the 63rd wave of its ongoing retaliatory “Operation True Promise 4,” launched after US-Israel strikes on Iran.
The Corps’ Public Relations Office said in a statement, “Staged with full force, the 63rd wave also came in retaliation for the martyrdom of Iran's Intelligence Minister Esmaeil Khatib and others during the aggression.”
It added that the adversaries had also sought to exact revenge on the nation over ongoing countrywide rallies held in support of Iran’s Islamic establishment and in protest against the aggression.
The IRGC said the attack on Iran’s energy infrastructure had taken the conflict to a new stage. “The Islamic Republic did not intend to expand the war to oil facilities and did not wish to harm the economies of friendly and neighbouring countries. However, with the enemy’s aggression against energy infrastructure, Iran has effectively entered a new stage of the conflict, and the necessity to defend the country’s energy infrastructure compelled a retaliatory strike against American-linked energy facilities,” it said.
The IRGC also claimed to have hit as many as 80 military and support targets in Israeli areas including Rishon LeZion, Ramla, and Lod in the centre; Eilat in the south; and Ramat Gan and Bnei Brak east of Tel Aviv, as well as Bat Yam and Holon south of Tel Aviv. It said all targets were struck “surgically” using multi-warhead missiles and attack drones.
The IRGC issued a stern warning to US-Israel forces against repeating strikes on Iran’s energy sites. “If this is repeated, subsequent attacks on your energy infrastructure and that of your allies will not cease until total destruction, and our response will be far more severe than tonight’s strikes,” it said.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said that the US and Qatar were not aware of the attacks and stated that Israel would not target the South Pars Field unless Iran attacks Qatar again.
He said Washington would not hesitate to authorise destruction in Tehran if Qatar’s energy facilities are targeted again. “The United States knew nothing about this particular attack, and Qatar was in no way involved or aware. Iran unjustifiably attacked a portion of Qatar’s LNG facility. No further Israeli attacks will target the South Pars Field unless Iran attacks Qatar again. In that case, the United States will respond with overwhelming force,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
The attack on Iran’s gas field and Qatar’s LNG facilities has pushed oil prices higher, with little sign of any immediate resolution to the conflict.