Iran warns US, allies against further escalation

Iran on Sunday warned the United States and its allies against launching any major new attack, saying it had received information that such an operation was being planned. The warning comes as tensions remain high in the region following drone and missile strikes on Saudi Arabia.

Iran’s military central command said on state media that any fresh attack would prompt sustained retaliation against US bases and interests. It also warned that Washington’s regional allies would be treated as parties to the conflict. The statement did not provide details about the intelligence behind its warning of an impending US attack.

The US State Department on Saturday issued a security alert warning of the potential for unforeseen escalation in the Middle East. It urged Americans to remain vigilant and prepare for possible flight cancellations and airspace closures.

Nearly seven months into the US-Iran war, neither side appears prepared to make the major concessions required to end the conflict. With global energy markets already under pressure, the fighting continues to fuel instability and spill into other crises across the region.

On Saturday, Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis, who have made significant advances along the country’s Red Sea coast since its civil war reignited this month, claimed responsibility for attacks targeting the Saudi capital Riyadh and a major oil facility in the Red Sea port city of Yanbu.

Reuters video showed a huge column of black smoke rising near Riyadh’s main international airport after explosions were heard across the Saudi capital overnight.

Saudi Arabia did not immediately comment on the incident or the Houthi claims. However, a Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis said it had intercepted other attacks targeting the kingdom. The US State Department’s alert also referred to Houthi hostilities against Saudi Arabia, including threats to civilian airports.

The US Department of Defense did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on Iran’s claim that it had information about a planned US attack.

The latest Houthi escalation has placed Riyadh in a difficult position: continue airstrikes against the group to prevent further territorial gains in Yemen, or scale back operations in an effort to reduce the threat of drone attacks on critical Saudi infrastructure.

Strikes on Saudi Arabia

Houthi advances along Yemen’s coast have brought the group’s forces closer to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, potentially giving them greater leverage over shipping between the Red Sea and Asia and raising the possibility of a blockade of the strategic waterway.

With Iran already restricting most shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, energy exports from the oil-rich Gulf have been severely disrupted, putting additional pressure on global oil prices.

Meanwhile, a US blockade of Iranian ports has limited Tehran’s ability to export oil, deepening economic difficulties inside Iran. Despite the heavy costs of the war for all sides, there has been little indication of a return to the interim ceasefire reached in June, which collapsed in July following disputes over its terms.

Iran reiterated on Sunday that it would not reopen the Strait of Hormuz until the conditions of the June agreement, as interpreted by Tehran, were fulfilled.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said the country would need to continue both fighting and negotiating, seeking to counter its adversaries while using diplomacy to secure and consolidate any gains.