Daijiworld Media Network - Tehran
Tehran, Oct 24: Iran has warned that any renewed US-Israeli military campaign could trigger wider retaliatory attacks across the Gulf, as tensions escalate following US intelligence warnings about alleged Iranian plots targeting American personnel.
Iranian officials have reportedly warned mediators that Tehran could expand its attacks to US military bases, warships and critical infrastructure across the region if Washington and Israel resume their military operations. Potential targets could include airports, oil facilities and other strategic infrastructure in neighbouring Gulf countries, according to media reports.
The warnings come after US Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton sent a memo to Secretary of State Marco Rubio on October 23, stating that intelligence agencies had received information indicating that Iran had significantly increased efforts to target American personnel in the Middle East and elsewhere.
“The lethal plotting efforts by the Iranians against US citizens have reached advanced stages in both the Middle East and certain other countries,” Clayton wrote in the memo, according to US officials.
The intelligence warning has prompted Washington to reduce staffing at its embassies in Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Earlier this week, the US also ordered non-essential personnel and their families to leave its diplomatic missions in Saudi Arabia amid increasing attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.
Iran's warnings come amid growing uncertainty over whether US President Donald Trump will order fresh military strikes against Tehran after the US midterm elections scheduled for November 3. Speaking at a rally in Florida on Friday, Trump indicated that another military operation remained possible if Iran did not reach an agreement with Washington.
Meanwhile, Iran has continued to signal that it would resist further military pressure. Iranian officials have warned that a renewed conflict could extend beyond military installations and threaten regional energy infrastructure and commercial shipping.
The Strait of Hormuz, a crucial route for global oil shipments, remains a major point of concern. Iran's Revolutionary Guard Navy has threatened to target US military bases in the region if Washington continues supporting commercial vessels passing through the strategic waterway. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has also warned that further escalation would endanger civilians, regional stability and the global economy.
The growing confrontation has also unsettled energy markets. Brent crude prices rose above USD 117 a barrel on Friday amid concerns about renewed fighting and possible disruptions to oil supplies.
Despite the increasingly hostile rhetoric, diplomatic efforts to bring Washington and Tehran back to negotiations continue. However, the prospect of renewed US-Israeli strikes and Iran's warnings of broader retaliation have heightened fears that the conflict could spread further across the Middle East.