Iran warns Israel against retaliating; says will hit US bases if Washington backs counterattack

Iran warns Israel of a larger attack on its territory should it retaliate against Tehran’s overnight drone and missile attack, adding that Washington has been warned not to back Israeli military action.

“Our response will be much larger than tonight’s military action if Israel retaliates against Iran,” armed forces chief of staff Major General Mohammad Bagheri tells state TV, adding that Tehran warned Washington that any backing of Israeli retaliation would result in US bases being targeted.

Addressing Iranian state TV, the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Major General Hossein Salami, says Tehran had entered a “new equation” in which any Israeli attack on its interests, assets, officials or citizens would be reciprocated from its own territory.

Salami says the operation was a success “beyond expectations.” According to Israel, 99 percent of the 300-plus projectiles fired at Israel were intercepted.

According to media reports, citing senior administration officials, US President Joe Biden has told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the US would not aid any Israeli counterattack on Iran.

Axios and CNN report that message was passed during a phone call between the pair.

Axios reports that Biden told Netanyahu the US would oppose any Israeli counterattack. CNN reports that Biden said the US would not take part in any such counteraction.