Key facts
- Iran's IRGC has threatened to target US energy chokepoints and vital interests if its infrastructure is attacked.
- The IRGC also warned of targeting global energy transmission lines, power plants, and internet infrastructure.
- Iran's military doctrine has reportedly shifted from defensive to offensive, preparing for operations on foreign soil.
- These threats coincide with reports of potential US and Israeli strikes on Iran's civilian infrastructure.
- The US military has conducted strikes against Iranian provinces, targeting military facilities.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has issued stern warnings of retaliation against the United States and its allies should Iran's infrastructure be attacked. Hossein Mohebbi, an IRGC spokesman, stated that "heavy attacks on US energy chokepoints and vital interests" would follow any strike on Iran, emphasizing that missile production continues and reserves are ample.
Mohebbi further threatened that energy transmission lines, power plants, and global internet-connected systems would be targeted, not just military installations. These statements were made concurrently with an announcement by Mohammad Reza Naqdi, an advisor to the IRGC Commander-in-Chief, regarding a shift in the organization's military doctrine from "defensive" to "offensive," preparing for operations on foreign soil. Naqdi described the new doctrine as relying on "hybrid warfare," integrating military capabilities with diplomatic, propaganda, and economic leverage.
The IRGC officials' remarks come amid heightened regional tensions and reports suggesting that the US and Israel are considering extensive attacks on Iran's civilian infrastructure, including power plants and petrochemical manufacturers. US President Donald Trump has publicly expressed distrust of Iran and asserted US control over the Strait of Hormuz, a claim that conflicts with Tehran's stance. Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz has also voiced a desire to strike Iran's energy targets.
In response to ongoing threats and potential strikes, Iran's authorities have promised retaliation. Major General Ali Abdollahi, head of Iran's wartime military command, stated that the US is accelerating towards a full-scale regional war and warned Muslim countries against cooperating with the US. The US military has reportedly conducted strikes against Iranian provinces, targeting IRGC command centers and military facilities, while Kuwait's army announced the destruction of Iranian drones within its airspace.