Iran warns Israel of harsh response if national infrastructure is attacked

Iran's Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohammad Baqer Zolghader has warned Israel that any attack targeting Iran's important national infrastructure will be met with a harsh response. He made the warning in a statement issued on Friday (July 10) amid recent military tensions.

Citing Mehr News, Anadolu Agency reported that Tehran will not leave Iran's electricity, communications, transportation or other important facilities without a response. Zolghader also said that Iranian forces will take retaliatory measures against the parties involved in such attacks.

Tensions have risen again in the Middle East after the recent reciprocal attacks between the United States and Iran. The US Central Command said that about 90 military targets were attacked, including Iranian air defense systems, coastal surveillance facilities and missile and drone storage facilities. Iran claimed to have attacked several US military installations in the Gulf in response.

According to Iranian authorities, at least 17 people were killed and 115 injured in the US attacks on six cities in the country on Wednesday and Thursday. Tehran alleged that several important communication infrastructures were also attacked in addition to military installations.

Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was buried on Thursday at the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad. He was killed on February 28, the first day of the joint US-Israeli attack. His burial was also during military exchanges between the US and Iran in the region.

Meanwhile, despite the military tensions, talks have not completely stopped. US President Donald Trump said that the two countries have agreed to continue talks, although the previous ceasefire is no longer in effect. Iran, however, denied the request for direct talks and said Tehran had accepted Qatar's mediation.

Qatar and Oman are continuing diplomatic efforts to calm the situation. In particular, the parties are in contact about the safety of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and ways to avoid new conflicts. However, the possibility of a permanent agreement is still uncertain due to the conflicting warnings from Iran and the United States.

In the latest situation, it is feared that the conflict could expand further if there is a new attack on Iranian infrastructure. Through Zolghadar's statement, Tehran made it clear that it would consider attacks on national installations as a direct threat to security.

Source: Meher News/Anadolu Agency/Reuters/Associated Press