World News

02-04-2026

Iran vows crushing response to US and Israeli threats

The Iranian military has vowed to deliver "crushing" strikes against the United States and Israel in response to threats from US President Donald Trump, who said he was prepared to carry out "very strong strikes" on Iran in the coming weeks. A representative of the Iranian military command, Ebrahim Zolfikari, said Washington and Tel Aviv do not understand Tehran’s real capabilities, stressing that Iran possesses strategic potential unknown to the enemy. He also rejected claims that Iranian missile and defense systems had been destroyed, assuring that military production is carried out at covert facilities.

The Iranian spokesperson warned that the war would continue until the "humiliation and capitulation of the enemy," promising more destructive operations in the future. At the same time, commander of the Iranian army Major General Amir Hatami ordered operational commanders to maintain full readiness to repel any attempts at a ground invasion, stressing that "none of the attackers will go unpunished." He demanded strict control over enemy movements and immediate implementation of counteraction plans, calling the country’s security an absolute priority.

In response, US President Donald Trump said American forces have achieved "rapid and decisive victories," and that "our key strategic objectives in Iran are close to completion." Trump promised to deliver "very strong strikes" within the next two to three weeks, adding that the US would "return them to the Stone Age, where they belong." These statements were made alongside Israeli claims of having completed attacks on Iranian military and nuclear sites.

According to reports, the US has struck more than 12,300 targets in Iran since the start of the conflict, while the Israeli military reported attacks on more than 4,000 sites on Iranian territory. Sources close to Trump indicate that Iran’s military leadership has suffered significant losses but is "not fully feeling them," prompting discussions within the US command about the limits of Tehran’s resilience. The conflict has been ongoing since late February with mutual strikes.

Iran has responded to the attacks with missile and drone strikes against Israel and US facilities in Arab countries, which have already caused damage to civilian infrastructure. The situation remains tense, with both sides demonstrating determination to continue military action, exchanging threats and statements about retaining combat capability. The conflict poses risks to regional stability and is causing concern in the international community.

News comments

  • Who is Major General Amir Hatami and what is his role in the Iranian military hierarchy? - Major General Amir Hatami is a former Iranian Minister of Defense (2017–2021), a senior officer of the regular armed forces of the country (Artesh). Within Iran’s military structure he represented the official, state military apparatus that operates in parallel with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). His role included oversight of conventional weapons development, logistics, and international military cooperation within the official government framework.

  • What are the "covert facilities" of military production in Iran and where are they usually located? - "Covert facilities" of military production in Iran are factories, research centers, or storage sites specifically built or camouflaged to protect them from possible airstrikes or reconnaissance. They are often located inside mountains, in underground tunnels, in remote desert areas, or dispersed among various civilian industrial zones. This strategy of dispersal and concealment was adopted after the experience of the war with Iraq and to counter threats from other states.

  • What is meant by "strategic potential unknown to the enemy" in the Iranian context? - In the Iranian context this refers to military capabilities and technologies that Iran deliberately keeps secret as part of a doctrine of "strategic ambiguity." These may include undisclosed missile systems, cyber weapons, drones, electronic warfare tools, or tactical asymmetric warfare methods. The aim is to create an element of surprise, deter adversaries (such as the US or Israel), and offset technological gaps through unpredictability.

Full version: ردا على ترمب.. إيران تتوعد بهجمات "ساحقة" وتقلل من تقييم "الأعداء" لقدراتها العسكرية