Iran reacts to ‘military build-up’ in Middle East; warns US of ‘all-out war’
Iran has issued a stark warning that it will treat any attack “as an all-out war against us,” amid the arrival of a US aircraft carrier strike group and other military assets in the Middle East in the coming days.“This military buildup we hope it is not intended for real confrontation – but our military is ready for the worst-case scenario. This is why everything is on high alert in Iran,” a senior Iranian official said on condition of anonymity, as cited by the Times of Israel.“This time we will treat any attack limited, unlimited, surgical, kinetic, whatever they call it, as an all-out war against us, and we will respond in the hardest way possible to settle this.”The warning comes as tensions remain high following US-backed Israeli strikes in June aimed at degrading Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programmes. President Donald Trump confirmed the deployment of a “massive fleet” toward Iran, telling reporters aboard Air Force One that Washington is watching Tehran closely. “We’re watching Iran,” Trump said. “I’d rather not see anything happen but we’re watching them very closely.”
US increases military presence in Middle East
The Pentagon has been sending US military assets into the Middle East, including the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and three accompanying destroyers, which left the South China Sea earlier this week. The carrier strike group, currently in the Indian Ocean, will join other US Navy ships in the Persian Gulf and Bahrain, bringing roughly 5,700 additional service members to the region.
Central Command has also deployed F-15E Strike Eagles, while the UK Ministry of Defence sent Typhoon jets to Qatar “in a defensive capacity.” Analysts have noted dozens of US military cargo planes heading toward the region, mirroring last year’s rapid deployments following attacks on Iranian nuclear sites.Trump indicated that the US fleet is “just in case,” leaving open the possibility of military action if Iran escalates, despite recently pulling back from threats over Tehran’s crackdown on protests. “Last year’s strikes on Iranian nuclear sites would look like peanuts if they proceed with planned executions of some protesters,” he warned.
Over 5,000 deaths reported
The warnings come amid a domestic crisis in Iran, where nationwide protests erupted in late December over economic hardship and political repression. Activists estimate the crackdown has killed at least 5,032 people and detained more than 27,600, far higher than the official toll of 3,117, which includes security forces, civilians, and “US-backed rioters.”
Iranian military officials have framed the unrest as linked to foreign intervention. Guards commander General Mohammad Pakpour warned the US and Israel to avoid “miscalculations” and said Iran’s forces “have their finger on the trigger, more prepared than ever, ready to carry out the orders and measures of the supreme commander-in-chief.” General Ali Abdollahi Aliabadi added that if the US attacks, “all US interests, bases and centres of influence” would be “legitimate targets.”Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused the US and Israel of exploiting the protests as “cowardly revenge… for the defeat in the 12-Day War,” while the Revolutionary Guards maintained their readiness for “the hardest response possible.”
