Iran warns and threatens attack on U.S. bases in the region in the event of war with Israel. The attack comments were made by Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, who heads the Revolutionary Guard, and threatens immediate retaliation if Iran is struck over it’s nuclear program. Tehran says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.
Hajizadeh said no such action by Israeli can happen without the support of its most important ally, the United States, making all U.S. military bases a legitimate target.
“For this reason, we will enter a confrontation with both parties and will definitely be at war with American bases should a war break out,” Hajizadeh said in remarks that were posted on the website of Iran’s state Al-Alam TV. U.S. facilities in Bahrain, Qatar and Afghanistan would be targeted, he said. “There will be no neutral country in the region,” Hajizadeh said. “To us, these bases are equal to U.S. soil.”
The U.S. Fifth fleet is based in Bahrain and the U.S. has a heavy military presence in Afghanistan.
The Iranian warning appears an attempt to reinforce the potential wider consequences of an attack by Israel. The message is not only intended for Washington, but to its Gulf Arab allies that are fearful of a regional conflict that could disrupt oil shipment and cripple business hubs in places such as Dubai and Qatar’s capital Doha.
It also comes during a major show of naval power in the Gulf by U.S.-led forces taking part in military exercises, including mine-sweeping drills. The U.S. Navy claims the maneuvers are not directly aimed at Iran, but the West and its regional allies have made clear they would react against attempts by Tehran to carry out threats to try to close critical Gulf oil shipping lanes in retaliation for tighter sanctions.