Iran warns US to 'step aside' as it readies response against Israel

PTC News Desk: Iran has called on the United States to "step aside" as it readies a response to what it suspects was an Israeli attack on its consulate in Syria. Meanwhile, Hezbollah, Iran's main proxy in the Middle East, has warned Israel that it is prepared for war.

Mohammad Jamshidi, the Iranian president's deputy chief of staff for political affairs, wrote on X that Iran had sent a written message to Washington, cautioning the US against being drawn into Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's actions. Jamshidi stated that the US should "step aside so that you don’t get hit." In response, Iran claims the US asked not to target American assets.

While the US has not officially commented on Iran's alleged message, CNN reports that the US is on high alert and anticipates a "significant" response from Iran against Israeli or American targets in the region. NBC, citing unnamed US officials, suggested that the Biden administration is concerned about potential attacks within Israel, particularly against military or intelligence targets.

The Biden administration took the unusual step of directly communicating to Iran that it was unaware of Monday's strike in Damascus beforehand, indicating an effort to prevent attacks on US forces and bases in the Middle East, according to Bloomberg. Iran has vowed to deliver a "slap" to Israel, but the timing and method of the response remain uncertain. It is unclear whether Iran will directly target Israel or use one of its proxy groups, such as Hezbollah based in Lebanon.

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The airstrike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus resulted in the deaths of at least seven Iranians, including two generals. While Israel has targeted Iran-linked assets in Syria previously, this was the first attack on an Iranian diplomatic building. Israel has heightened its alert status since the incident, cancelling leave for combat troops, mobilising reserves, and bolstering air defenses. Additionally, Israel scrambled navigational signals over Tel Aviv to disrupt potential GPS-guided attacks.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah affirmed that a response from Iran is forthcoming, but stated that his group will not interfere in Iran's decisions. Nasrallah emphasised the coordination among Iran's resistance groups in the region. Despite ongoing skirmishes with Israel along the southern border of Lebanon, Hezbollah claims it has refrained from using its primary arsenal since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas conflict on October 7. Nasrallah asserted that Hezbollah is fully prepared for any conflict with Israel.

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(Inputs from agencies)