Tehran: Tensions across the Middle East have escalated further after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) issued a fresh warning to Arab states hosting US military forces.
IRGC political deputy General Yadollah Javani reportedly warned countries including Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan that they could face a “crushing” military response if they continue allowing US forces to operate from their territory.
The warning comes amid a sharp escalation between Washington and Tehran. The US has launched fresh strikes against Iranian military targets, while Iran has retaliated with missile and drone attacks aimed at US military positions in the region.
Iran has increasingly portrayed American military bases across the Gulf and neighboring Arab states as legitimate targets in the ongoing confrontation. Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan host facilities used by US forces, making them particularly sensitive amid the widening conflict.
Jordan has reported intercepting most of the Iranian ballistic missiles launched toward its territory, while US officials have said there were no immediate American casualties from the latest attacks. Bahrain and Kuwait have also reported dealing with Iranian missile or drone threats.
The latest Iranian warning has raised fears that the conflict could expand beyond direct US-Iranian exchanges and draw more Gulf and Arab states into the confrontation. The developments are also threatening global energy markets.
The Strait of Hormuz, through which a major share of the world's oil shipments normally passes, has become a central flashpoint in the conflict, with renewed attacks and threats disrupting shipping and pushing crude prices higher.
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