The Iranian flag is raised on a road in Tehran, Iran, on February 1, 2023.Photo: Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency), through Reuters
JERUSALEM (AP) — Iran mentioned Wednesday it will “reply firmly” to any U.S. assault on the Islamic republic after President Joe Biden linked Tehran to the killing of three U.S. troopers at a navy base in Jordan. Threatened me.
learn extra: Biden says Iranian-backed militias had been behind drone assault in Jordan that killed 3 US troops and injured 25 others
The United States is threatening retaliatory strikes within the Middle East after Sunday’s drone strike additionally injured at the least 40 troopers at Tower 22, a secret base in northeastern Jordan that’s essential to America’s presence in neighboring Syria. He indicated that preparations are underway.
Further assaults by the United States might additional escalate an space already in turmoil from Israel’s ongoing warfare with Hamas within the Gaza Strip. The warfare started on October 7 when Hamas attacked Israel, killing about 1,200 individuals and taking about 250 hostages. Since then, Israel has killed greater than 26,000 Palestinians and compelled almost 2 million others from their properties, sparking outrage throughout the Muslim world.
Violence has erupted throughout the Middle East, with Iran attacking targets in Iraq, Pakistan and Syria, and the United States finishing up airstrikes towards Houthi rebels in Yemen, citing assaults within the Red Sea. Some observers worry that new assaults focusing on Iran might tip the area right into a broader warfare.
A U.S. Navy destroyer crusing by the waterway shot down an anti-ship cruise missile fired by the Houthis late Tuesday, officers mentioned, however the newest assault focused U.S. forces patrolling a key maritime commerce route. It is alleged that The US subsequently launched new airstrikes focusing on the Houthis.
This handout picture taken on 6 January 2024 exhibits HMS Diamond floating within the Red Sea throughout Operation Prosperity Guardian. Photo: Chris Sellars/Handout through REUTERS
Iran’s warning first got here from Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Saeed Iravani, in New York. He met with Iranian reporters late Tuesday, state information company IRNA reported.
IRNA quoted Iravani as saying: “The Islamic Republic will firmly reply to any assault towards the county, its pursuits and folks underneath any pretext.” Regarding doable Iranian retaliation, he referred to as it a “robust response” however didn’t elaborate.
Iran’s mission to the United Nations didn’t reply to requests for remark or particulars on Irabani’s remarks on Wednesday.
Iravani additionally denied that Iran and the United States had exchanged any messages by intermediaries or straight in current days. Al Jazeera, a pan-Arab satellite tv for pc broadcaster primarily based in and funded by Qatar, earlier reported that such communications had taken place. Qatar usually acts as an middleman between Washington and Tehran.
“No such messages had been exchanged,” Irabani mentioned.
But the Iranian authorities is keeping track of US threats to retaliate towards assaults on Jordanian bases.
Revolutionary Guards commander Gen. Hossein Salami, who solutions solely to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, mentioned at an occasion on Wednesday: “Sometimes the enemy raises threats, however just lately we’ve got heard some threats between the phrases of U.S. officers. ” he mentioned. “We inform them you’ve got been by us and we all know one another. We will not depart threats unanswered.”
“We are usually not post-war, however there is no such thing as a worry of warfare,” he added, in keeping with IRNA.
On Saturday, the overall answerable for Iran’s air protection power mentioned Iran was in “the very best protection posture.” This raises issues for civil aviation transiting by Iran as nicely. After a senior common was killed in a U.S. drone strike in 2020, Iranian air defenses mistakenly shot down a Ukrainian airliner, killing all 176 individuals on board.
Meanwhile, assaults by the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels proceed within the Red Sea, with US warships being focused in current days. The missile fired Tuesday evening focused the Arleigh Burke-class missile destroyer USS Gravely, U.S. Central Command mentioned in a press release. No accidents or injury had been reported.
learn extra: Houthis declare they attacked a US warship, however US officers reject the declare
Houthi navy spokesperson, Brig. General Yahya Salih claimed duty for the assault in a press release Wednesday morning, calling it “a victory towards the oppression of the Palestinian individuals and a response to the American and British aggression towards our nation.”
Salih claimed that the Houthis had fired “a number of” missiles, however that the U.S. Navy had not acknowledged them. Houthi claims have been exaggerated previously, with missiles generally colliding with land and lacking their targets.
A Houthi carries a machine gun whereas using a motorbike throughout a parade in Sanaa, Yemen, in January, in solidarity with Palestinians within the Gaza Strip and to point out help for Houthi assaults on ships within the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. believer in. twenty ninth, 2024. Photo by Khaled Abdullah/Reuters
The Houthis claimed on Monday, with out proof, that that they had focused the USS Lewis B. Puller, a floor touchdown base utilized by Navy SEALs and others. The United States mentioned there was no assault.
On Wednesday, a U.S. navy jet struck a surface-to-air missile it was making an attempt to launch from Houthi-controlled Yemen, U.S. officers mentioned. The missile was deemed a direct menace and was destroyed. The official disclosed the main points on situation of anonymity forward of publication.
Rebels have repeatedly focused ships within the Red Sea since November over Israeli assaults on Hamas within the Gaza Strip. But they steadily goal ships with weak or unclear hyperlinks to Israel, endangering delivery in key routes for international commerce between Asia, the Middle East and Europe.
On Friday, the Houthis attacked a service provider ship with a missile, beginning a fireplace that continued to burn for a number of hours.
The United States and Britain launched a number of airstrikes focusing on the Houthis as allied warships patrolled sea lanes affected by the assaults. The European Union additionally plans to launch a naval mission within the Red Sea inside three weeks to guard cargo ships from Houthi assaults, the bloc’s high diplomat mentioned on Wednesday.
Associated Press writers Nasser Karimi in Tehran, Iran, and Tara Kopp in Washington contributed to this report.