Iran threatens strikes on US and Israeli forces if Washington attacks
Photo: Iran threatened to strike US and Israeli military if Washington attacks (Getty Images)
Iran warned the United States that any US attack would trigger retaliation from Tehran, according to AP.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said US military forces and Israel would become "legitimate targets" if America strikes the Islamic Republic, as President Donald Trump has threatened.
He issued the warning as lawmakers rushed toward the podium in Iran’s parliament, chanting: "Death to America!" Iranian state television broadcast the parliamentary session live.
Ghalibaf, a hardliner who previously ran for president, thanked the police and Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard for having "stood firm" during the protests.
He then directly threatened Israel, which he referred to as "occupied territory," as well as US military forces.
"In the event of an attack on Iran, both the occupied territory and all American military centers, bases and ships in the region will be our legitimate targets. We do not consider ourselves limited to reacting after the action and will act based on any objective signs of a threat," the speaker said, hinting at a preemptive strike.
US may attack Iran
It should be recalled that since late December 2025, Iran has been gripped by mass protests that have grown to a serious scale and have already escalated into armed clashes.
The unrest began with traders from Tehran’s central market, who took to the streets on December 28 to protest the sharp fall of the national currency.
According to local media, the most active participants in the protests were sellers of mobile phones, electronics, and household appliances, who purchase their goods in foreign currency but sell them in local currency.
Students and other segments of the population later joined the rallies, as did — quite unexpectedly — people who had once been considered the "backbone of the regime."
The Iranian authorities responded with extreme brutality, using live fire, special equipment, beatings, and mass arrests.
US President Donald Trump said the United States is ready to help the Iranian people who are fighting for freedom. However, it remains unclear whether Washington is truly prepared for a confrontation with Iran’s ayatollah-led regime.
According to The Wall Street Journal, citing its own sources in the White House, officials in the Trump administration have already held discussions about the possibility of attacking Iran.
One official said the options include a large-scale airstrike on several Iranian military targets, should it become necessary to carry out Trump's warning.
Another source, however, said there is currently no unified view on what should be done. There has also been no movement of military equipment, personnel, or other preparations for a possible strike on Iran.
