Iranian media says armed forces have prepared retaliation plan after US news outlets suggest potentially imminent US-Israeli attacks against civilian infrastructure
\n Tehran
\nIran\u2019s authorities have promised retaliation in case of threatened attacks by the United States against critical energy infrastructure, while military strikes continue across the region. \u201cThe United States is moving at an accelerating pace to fan the flames of a full-scale regional war,\u201d Major General Ali Abdollahi, head of Iran\u2019s wartime military command, said in a statement on Saturday.
\nAddressing regional neighbours, he said the US was using their capital, resources and infrastructure as a shield for its own interests while strengthening Israel\u2019s war machine.
\n\u201cIt is hereby stated explicitly: Muslim countries must, with foresight, monitor America\u2019s crimes and reconsider their cooperation and alignment with the US. Otherwise, any country that makes itself a defensive shield for criminal, aggressor America will burn in the fire of war,\u201d said Abdollahi.
\nThe warning comes in reaction to reports by major US media outlets that the US and Israel may be imminently launching an extensive wave of attacks against Iran\u2019s civilian infrastructure, including power plants and petrochemical manufacturers.
\nPresident Donald Trump has yet to give final authorisation on an operation that could potentially last up to two weeks and aim to cut electricity across Iran\u2019s capital, Tehran, and create disruptions across the country, the reports said, citing unnamed sources.
\nThe Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies said earlier this week that US air defences have performed largely well, but persistent combat operations have reduced the inventory of missile interceptors in the US military\u2019s arsenal, with Patriot inventories now under 1,000 and THAAD at about 250.
\nThe Iranian state-linked Tasnim news website on Saturday cited an unnamed source as saying armed forces have prepared an extensive plan of retaliation to the \u201cpotential madness\u201d of the US by hitting \u201cvital infrastructure\u201d linked with the US and Israel.
\nOn Tuesday, Israel\u2019s Defence Minister Israel Katz said \u201cwe very much want to strike Iran\u2019s energy targets.
\n\u201cThe United States is not approving it at present, because of concern that Iran would strike neighbouring countries and there would be a global oil crisis,\u201d he told a security conference broadcast by Channel 14, adding that Israel was ready to \u201cset Iran back 40 years\u201d.
\nSince the start of the war on February 28, the US and Israel have hit military bases and leaders across Iran, but also targeted the country\u2019s civilian infrastructure, parts of which will require years and extensive investments to rebuild. The bombing has only exacerbated Iran\u2019s internal woes, including a contracting economy and a major energy imbalance that are squeezing more than 90 million Iranians.
\nIn response, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Iran\u2019s regular army have launched ballistic missiles and drones at US and Israeli military bases across the region, but have also responded to energy attacks by striking energy infrastructure in Israel, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Iranian media says armed forces have prepared retaliation plan after US news outlets suggest potentially imminent US-Israeli attacks against civilian infrastructure Tehran Iran\u2019s authorities have promised retaliation in case of threatened attacks by the United States against critical energy infrastructure, while military strikes continue across the region. \u201cThe United States is moving at an accelerating […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":559685,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-559665","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-world"],"yoast_head":"\n