DOHA, Qatar | TASS | Iran is considering striking US Navy ships if Washington directly participates in the conflict alongside Israel, a senior Iranian official told Qatar’s Al Jazeera.
“Any direct US intervention in the conflict will result in an unprecedented threat to enemy ships,” the official told the TV channel. According to him, Iran is considering strikes on “maritime targets and enemy positions” if the US participates in the Israeli operation.
The Associated Press reported, citing satellite imagery data, that the US Navy has withdrawn all its warships from its base in Bahrain, where the US Fifth Fleet is headquartered. The news agency noted that relocating ships is a common measure to ensure fleet security in the event of an increased threat. Earlier, Iran’s Mehr news agency reported that Tehran had officially notified the UK, US, and French authorities that their military facilities in Middle Eastern and Persian Gulf countries would be targets of Iranian strikes if they helped Israel repel attacks from the Islamic Republic.
Overnight into June 13, Israel kicked off Operation Rising Lion aimed against Iran’s nuclear program. Less than 24 hours later, Iran launched a retaliatory attack. In the following days, Tel Aviv and Tehran exchanged strikes again. Both sides reported casualties resulting from these attacks and acknowledged hits on several targets within their territories, though they claimed the damage was limited.
