Iranian commander declares 'we will definitely strike Israel': Tensions escalate in the Middle East
Following announcements by Israeli officials that airstrikes would be conducted against Iran, Iranian officials have issued threats of retaliation. In response to potential air operations against Iran's nuclear facilities, an Iranian commander stated that they would 'definitely strike Israel.'
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A senior commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Amir Ali Hajizadeh, stated that an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities would lead to an unprecedented conflict in the region. Evaluating Israel's plans to carry out a military operation against Iran's nuclear facilities, Hajizadeh emphasized that they would 'definitely strike' Israel and warned that the war would spread across the Middle East.
Stressing that they would not leave a potential Israeli attack unanswered, Hajizadeh used the expression, 'You cannot even imagine the scale of the fire in the Middle East.' Hajizadeh also announced that 'True Promise 3,' Iran's third attack on Israel, would definitely take place.
According to NTV's report, it was suggested that Iran is currently weak due to US sanctions and is open to negotiations. The report, citing statements from a European diplomat, stated that if the Tehran administration cannot reach an agreement with the US before October, Israel could launch an attack.
A diplomat speaking to the US press said, 'Tehran will accept any agreement that includes the lifting of sanctions.'
On October 1, 2024, Iran launched a large-scale missile attack on Israel due to the war in Gaza. While targets belonging to the Israeli army were hit in the attack, Israel imposed censorship on newspapers to hide its losses.
'THERE ARE ENOUGH TARGETS WE CAN HIT'
Reports in the Iranian press stated that the US wants to conduct direct and secret negotiations with Iran, and that the Tehran administration is waiting for a negotiator to be appointed by the Trump administration. It was also announced that Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei is closely monitoring the country's anti-ballistic missile defense systems.
Hajizadeh also made statements regarding Iran's military capacity, saying the following:
'If we enter into a conflict with the US, we have enough targets in the region that we can hit with low-cost missiles. What can they do if we use 500 or even 1000 drones instead of 150? The authorities have planned this (True Promise 3) and will use it strategically. We will not waste it.'
Hajizadeh underlined that Iran is working to increase its missile range to 2,000 kilometers, stating:
'The US has nearby targets around us that can be hit with low-cost missiles. There is no need to use intercontinental missiles from here. No one should worry; they definitely cannot do anything.'
The American newspapers Wall Street Journal and Washington Post wrote that Israel is planning an attack on Iran's nuclear facilities within this year. The newspapers based this assessment of Israel on Iran's recent military setbacks and US President Donald Trump's increased openness to military action.