Iran’s military warned it will retaliate against both Israel and the U.S. for recent strikes, vowing they will ‘pay dearly’ despite Washington denying involvement, state media IRNA reported
Iran’s Armed Forces spokesperson Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi warned that Tehran would retaliate after Israel’s strikes – saying that the US and Israel would both “pay dearly,” despite Washington’s assertions that it had not been involved.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran will definitely retaliate, and the enemy will pay a heavy price,” Shekarchi told Iranian state media IRNA. Israel and the US “will pay dearly and will be dealt a harsh blow,” he said.
He said residential areas had been hit in the strikes, and that armed forces are on the ground at full readiness.
On Wednesday ahead of the strikes, the US withdrew many non-essential personnel and their families from locations around the Middle East. Officials did not say what specifically prompted the move, but a defense official said US Central Command was monitoring “developing tension in the Middle East.”
President Donald Trump and senior White House officials were expecting the Israeli strikes on Iran Thursday night, two sources familiar with the matter told CNN. After the strikes, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said there was no US involvement or assistance in the attack.