Iran’s Supreme Leader Warns US and Israel Against Fresh Attacks, Threatens Wider Military Response

US President Donald Trump has warned of possible fresh military strikes after the US midterm elections on Tuesday, saying last weekend that he was weighing whether to “finish them off.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to the report, has described the situation as a historic, one-time opportunity to topple the Iranian government.

On Saturday, Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, warned the United States and Israel against launching fresh attacks and threatened an immediate and geographically unrestricted response if hostilities resume. The warning followed threats by Trump and Netanyahu to intensify military action against Tehran, as reported by AFP.

In a statement on Saturday, Khamenei said: “If the enemies once again launch military or terrorist attacks, it is the armed forces of the Islamic republic and the Iranian nation that will determine the time and conditions for ending them.” He reportedly told senior military commanders that “any level or type of threat must be met with an immediate, impactful and geographically unrestricted response.” He also instructed commanders to update Iran’s target list to include all types of “tangible and intangible assets belonging to the American-Zionist enemy.”

The meeting was described as the first reported encounter between Khamenei and Iran’s military leadership. It included armed forces chief of staff Ali Abdollahi, army chief Amir Hatami and Revolutionary Guards commander Ahmad Vahidi. The report noted that Khamenei has not appeared publicly since assuming leadership in March, following the killing of his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in US-Israeli strikes at the beginning of the conflict.

The conflict has disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway that normally handles around one-fifth of global oil consumption. The report states that Iran has restricted maritime traffic through the passage since hostilities began, contributing to higher global energy prices. Iran has previously warned that it could target undersea cables in the strait, which has raised concerns about wider disruption to critical infrastructure.

Diplomatic efforts to prevent a resumption of fighting are also underway. Qatar and Pakistan have been mediating between Washington and Tehran, and a Qatari delegation arrived in the Iranian capital on Friday for discussions with senior officials. US Vice President JD Vance has reportedly sent a letter to Iranian security chief Mohsen Rezaei, at Trump’s direction, seeking to revive negotiations. Mediation of this kind is a work of peacemaking, a point that calls to mind the call to live peaceably with all (Romans 12:18).

Iranian officials also issued public warnings. Army spokesman Mohammad Akaraminia said: “If the US president once again embarks on more regional adventurism under pressure from, and in an attempt to appease, the Zionists, the flames of war will undoubtedly engulf a much wider geographical area.” Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned of an “Earth-shattering blow” from Iran’s armed forces, adding that “there will no longer be any red lines.”