Iran Prepares for Prolonged Conflict with US and Israel, Vows New Weapons
As tensions escalate in the Middle East, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has declared its full preparedness for a “prolonged war” with the United States and Israel. The announcement, made by IRGC spokesperson Brigadier General Ali Mohammad Naeini, included a pledge to introduce a new generation of strategic weapons according to Iranian media.
Recent Strikes and Capabilities
Naeini stated that the recent wave of strikes under Operation “True Promise 4” represented only a small fraction of Iran’s actual capabilities. He indicated that new technologies are on the horizon, stating, “This technology has not yet been deployed on a large scale. The enemy must prepare for painful attacks in every upcoming wave of operations.”
Missile Attack on Tel Aviv
The IRGC’s announcement coincided with a missile attack on Tel Aviv, Israel, triggering explosions throughout the region. Firefighters are currently working to extinguish fires in residential buildings near the commercial center of the Israeli-occupied territory as reported by AFP.
Escalation Following Khamenei’s Death
The escalation follows Israel’s expansion of its campaign against Hezbollah, with vows of retaliation for the group’s involvement in the conflict following the assassination of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran’s state television reported that Tehran had fired missiles “at targets in the heart of Tel Aviv,” while Israel claimed to be intercepting the incoming fire .
Limited Casualties Reported
AFP journalists in Tel Aviv reported hearing two waves of explosions. However, Israel’s emergency services, Magen David Adom (MDA), stated that their teams had responded to several locations but reported no casualties. Israeli police confirmed responding to an incident involving a missile falling in central Israel, noting damage but no injuries.
US Involvement and Attacks on Iran
Simultaneously, the United States military has been conducting attacks on Iran, claiming to have destroyed Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) command and control facilities and air defence installations according to Al Jazeera. CENTCOM reported destroying air defence installations, missile, and drone launch sites, but has not provided evidence for these claims. CENTCOM also claimed to have struck more than 1,250 targets in Iran and destroyed 11 Iranian ships.
US Casualties and Kuwaiti Involvement
The US has reported six service personnel killed in retaliatory attacks from Iran over the weekend in Kuwait. Kuwait mistakenly shot down three US F-15E fighter jets during an Iranian attack, with all six crew members safely ejected .
Initial Attack Trigger
Iran initially accused the US and Israel of launching an attack on a girls’ school near an IRGC base in southern Iran, alleging more than 160 people were killed as reported by the BBC.