NYT: Iran Prepares To Attack U.S. Bases
- 18.06.2025, 8:16
In return for supporting Israel.
Iran is preparing to attack U.S. bases in the Middle East if the U.S. intervenes in Israel's war with Iran.
This is reported by The New York Times.
According to the released intelligence, Iran has deployed missiles and other weapons to hit U.S. military installations in the Middle East.
According to the NYT, Iran's defense minister said U.S. bases in the region are "within reach" and could be completely destroyed in response to U.S. aid to Israel.
Fears of a wider war
The situation is now very tense: there is a significant risk of a localized conflict escalating into a broad war involving the U.S. and Israel, with real threats of World War III.
American officials note that if the U.S. were to strike Fordow, Iran would almost certainly respond through its proxy forces, the Houthis, as well as militants in Iraq and Syria. A strike could also trigger the mining of the Strait of Hormuz, jeopardizing the movement of U.S. warships in the Persian Gulf.
U.S. troops on high alert
More than 40,000 U.S. military personnel are stationed in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Jordan. All bases have already been placed on high alert for attacks.
The U.S. military can provide
air cover for Israeli forces;
make independent strikes with B-2 bombers carrying high-penetration missiles.
Iran confirms intentions to attack US bases
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Israel and its partners are responsible for a possible escalation. He said Iran would not allow its will to be imposed from outside.
Two Iranian officials confirmed that Tehran would attack U.S. facilities - first in Iraq, then throughout the region, particularly in Arab states.
Fordo strike: risks and consequences
The U.S. estimates that if Fordow is attacked, Iran could accelerate work on nuclear weapons. Some U.S. officials are convinced that an Israeli campaign could finally convince Tehran to build a nuclear arsenal as a deterrent.
The window for diplomacy is not yet closed
Director of the Middle East program at the Defense Priorities think tank Rosemary Kelanick cautions against U.S. involvement in a full-scale war:
"It is never too late not to start a war. U.S. involvement will only make it more likely that Iran will develop nuclear weapons," she said.
Trump and the conflict in the Middle East
It is not yet fully clear whether the U.S. will join Israel's strikes against the Islamic Republic, but Trump has said that "we" control the skies over Iran. However, in his statement, he never explained who exactly lies under the word "we".
The first time that the US might intervene in the conflict between Israel and Iran, Trump spoke two days after the military conflict in the Middle East escalated, namely on June 15.
Before that, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reported that the US was not involved in Israel's operation against Iran, and also noted that Washington had not provided any assistance to Jerusalem.
The Axios publication also reported that the American president had convened his national security team to discuss the situation in the Middle East.