Iran has issued a stern warning to the United States, cautioning that any involvement in the escalating conflict with Israel could ignite a full-scale regional war. The statement comes as Iran and Israel continue exchanging fire for a sixth consecutive day, intensifying fears of a broader Middle East crisis.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said, “Any American intervention would be a recipe for an all-out war in the region.”
Baghaei also highlighted Iran’s close ties with Arab nations, suggesting they would oppose U.S. military use of their territory.
“We have very good relations with Arab countries, and they are very cognisant of the fact that Israel has been trying to drag others into the war. … We are sure our Arab countries hosting US bases would not allow their territory to be used against their Muslim neighbours,” he added.
Trump Signals Increased US Involvement
While initially distancing himself from the Israeli strikes, U.S. President Donald Trump has since hinted at a larger American role in the conflict.
He stated he was seeking something “much bigger” than a ceasefire, and the U.S. has responded by dispatching additional warplanes to the region and deploying the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier.
Thousands of U.S. troops are currently stationed in nearby countries within range of Iran’s missile arsenal. The White House has vowed a massive retaliation if American forces are attacked.
On Tuesday, Trump escalated tensions further, demanding Iran’s “unconditional surrender.”
In a provocative post on Truth Social, he claimed, “We know exactly where the so-called ‘Supreme Leader’ is hiding. He is an easy target, but is safe there – We are not going to take him out (kill!), at least not for now.”
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz also weighed in, writing on social media platform X: “A storm is passing over Tehran. This is how dictatorships collapse.”
Iran Vows to Respond “Without Restraint”
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a defiant response during a speech broadcast on state television.
“This nation will never surrender,” he said. “America should know that any military intervention will undoubtedly result in irreparable damage.”
Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Ali Bahreini, reinforced the warning. “We will not show any reluctance in defending our people, security and land. We will respond seriously and strongly without restraint,” he told reporters.
The verbal threats come amid heavy military action. The Israeli military reported that two waves of Iranian missiles were launched at Israel early Wednesday, with explosions heard over Tel Aviv.
Israel claimed to have intercepted at least 10 Iranian drones during the assault. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) later announced a fresh barrage using hypersonic Fattah-1 missiles, saying it had carried out
“The 11th wave of the proud Operation Honest Promise 3,” which was “repeatedly shaking the shelters” in Tel Aviv overnight.
Hypersonic missiles, which travel at over five times the speed of sound and can evade missile defences, are a major concern for Israel and its allies.
Reporting from Amman, Al Jazeera’s Nour Odeh said Iranian attacks targeted central and northern Israel.
“We know from the Israeli Ministry of Health that 94 Israelis have been treated for injuries from those overnight strikes and that there were several fires where these missiles hit or where fragments from the interceptors hit,” she said.
Israeli Strikes Hit Nuclear Facilities
Later Wednesday, the Israeli military announced it had struck weapons production sites and a centrifuge facility in Tehran. The move, it said, was part of a broader effort to weaken Iran’s nuclear weapons development programme.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed that two major sites were targeted: the Tehran Nuclear Research Center and a centrifuge component workshop in Karaj.
“At the Tehran site, one building was hit where advanced centrifuge rotors were manufactured and tested; and at Karaj, two buildings were destroyed where different centrifuge components were manufactured,” the IAEA said on X.
From Tehran, Al Jazeera correspondent Tohid Assadi reported that the capital endured a night of explosions.
“What we are seeing on the ground is escalation upon escalation as Israeli strikes continue,” Assadi said.
“In the city of Tehran, which houses at least 10 million people, a considerable portion of the population has started to leave. But many civilians remain and are deeply anxious about the future, especially with warnings from both Israel and the US president urging evacuation,” he added.
Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB reported that its forces had shot down an Israeli Hermes drone over Isfahan. The footage of the downed unmanned aerial vehicle was aired during state news coverage.
Meanwhile, the IRNA news agency claimed that Iranian forces had also destroyed an Israeli F-35 fighter jet in the Javadabad area of Varamin city.
Global Reactions and Evacuations
As the conflict intensifies, world leaders have expressed concern. Russia, China, and the European Union have all called for de-escalation.
Iranian government figures indicate that more than 700 foreign nationals have fled into neighbouring Armenia and Azerbaijan since the conflict began last Friday.
China’s Foreign Ministry announced that over 700 of its citizens had been evacuated from both Iran and Israel to safer locations.
The United States has temporarily closed its embassy in Jerusalem due to security threats, with operations suspended until at least Friday.
A Washington-based Iranian human rights organisation reported that 585 people have been killed in Israeli strikes on Iran so far, including 239 civilians. Iranian attacks on Israel have resulted in at least 24 deaths, according to the latest figures.
