Israeli defense minister warns Iran of unprecedented response, names potential targets

Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz has warned Iran that any attack targeting Israel, regardless of its cause or location, will be met with a strong Israeli response. He threatened that such retaliation could inflict severe damage on Iran, potentially targeting vital energy infrastructure.

In a video released by his office today Thursday, Katz said the Israeli response would cause Iran "unprecedented damage," adding that the Israeli military "is fully prepared to carry out the mission" as directed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Katz stated that a strike on Iran could "set it back by decades" and further weaken its position, as the war of words between Washington and Tehran intensifies, tensions rise in the Strait of Hormuz, and the U.S. naval blockade on Iranian ports continues.

The Israeli escalation followed remarks by Iranian Revolutionary Guard commander Hassan Zazadeh, who declared that Iranian forces are ready to launch "swift offensive operations," and that they can rapidly deploy anywhere in the country to confront "the enemy, regardless of its position," according to Mehr News Agency.

Zazadeh said, "This offensive approach sends a clear message to our enemies," and claimed that U.S. President Donald Trump and the Israeli prime minister "are currently unable to face public opinion and their own elites," according to Mehr News Agency.

He added that Trump and the Israeli prime minister "used to claim they would destroy our armed forces, but today our military stands before them more capable than ever," according to his statements.

These statements coincided with a warning issued by Trump on Wednesday that the United States might launch a "strong strike" against Iran if activity continues at a new nuclear facility in the "Jabal al-Fas" area near Natanz.

Speaking at the Republican National Convention in Dallas, Trump said: "We are observing minor activity at Jabal al-Fas... I advise Iran not to play tricks, because we would have to strike hard... We have no choice."

These developments also come amid reports that Trump's aides and advisers have warned of the possibility that the conflict with Iran could extend until the end of his term.