Iran said Sunday it has information that a major new attack by the United States and its allies is being prepared and warned of sustained retaliation if one occurs. The warning follows Houthi strikes on Riyadh and a Saudi oil facility, and comments from Donald Trump raising the prospect of nuclear force against Iran.
Iran warned on Sunday that it holds information a major new attack by the United States and its allies is being prepared, and said any such strike would draw sustained retaliation against US bases and interests. Iran's military central command added that Washington's regional allies would be considered parties to the conflict if an attack occurs, though it gave no detail on the intelligence behind the warning.
The warning followed a US State Department security alert issued Saturday that flagged potential for unforeseen escalation in the Middle East and urged Americans to watch for possible flight cancellations and airspace closures. Nearly seven months into the US-Iran war, neither side has shown readiness for the concessions needed to end the fighting, and the conflict keeps spilling into other regional crises.
Houthi strikes hit Riyadh and a Saudi oil facility
Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis said Saturday they had struck the Saudi capital Riyadh and a major oil facility at the Red Sea port of Yanbu, following gains along Yemen's Red Sea coast after the country's civil war reignited this month. Reuters video showed a plume of black smoke rising near Riyadh's main international airport after explosions were heard overnight, though Saudi Arabia did not comment on the incident.
The Houthi advance has put the group's forces on the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, giving it leverage over shipping between the Red Sea and Asia. With Iran already blockading most traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, the Gulf's energy exports are almost entirely cut off from global markets, adding to pressure on crude oil prices. Meanwhile, a US blockade of Iranian ports is stopping Iran from selling its own oil, contributing to major problems in its economy.
Trump raises the prospect of nuclear force
Former President Donald Trump has speculated about using nuclear force against Iran and questioned the timing of such a move, according to Crypto Briefing. Trump's comments coincided with prediction-market odds on Iran reconstruction funding being included in a deal, which have shown minimal movement and remain low, reflecting the geopolitical risk markets are pricing into a possible deal.
No return to the June truce
Iran reiterated Sunday that it will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz until the terms of a June ceasefire agreement that fell apart in July amid disputes over its terms, as it interprets them, are met. Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said Iran would have to keep fighting while continuing to negotiate, to push back its adversaries and consolidate any gains diplomatically.
Sources: Commodities & Futures News, Crypto Briefing
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