Iran renews threat to strike Israel as fears of US attack grow

TEHRAN – Iran’s army chief renewed warnings that Tehran could strike Israel, as tensions heighten amid fears of a possible US military attack on the Islamic Republic.

“If the enemy makes a mistake, it will without doubt endanger its own security, the security of the region, and the security of the Zionist regime,” Major-General Amir Hatami said, according to the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency on Jan 31.

Tehran is closely monitoring hostile movements across the region, Maj-Gen Hatami said, adding that “our finger is on the trigger,” according to the report.

A day earlier, Mr Ali Shamkhani, an adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, told Beirut-based Al Mayadeen that Tehran was prepared to deliver a “proportionate, effective, and deterrent response”, including strikes deep inside Israel, if it detected “hostile intent”.

Concerns about a US attack on Iran have intensified after President Donald Trump

ordered military hardware to the Middle Eas

t in January following Tehran’s brutal crackdown on protesters.

On Jan 30, Mr Trump said he had

persuaded Iran’s leadership to delay executing demonstrator

s and again urged the country to negotiate a nuclear agreement.

In an X post on Jan 31, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran was ready to “embrace a fair and equitable nuclear deal” that would ensure “‘No Nuclear Weapons’ and guaranteeing the lifting of sanctions”. BLOOMBERG