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Iran will treat any attack "as an all-out war against us" and respond "in the hardest way possible," a senior Iranian official said Saturday, as a U.S. military aircraft carrier strike group approaches the Middle East amid escalating tensions.
"This military buildup—we hope it is not intended for real confrontation—but our military is ready for the worst-case scenario. This is why everything is on high alert in Iran," the senior Iranian official told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity.
"This time we will treat any attack—limited, unlimited, surgical, kinetic, whatever they call it—as an all-out war against us, and we will respond in the hardest way possible to settle this," the official said.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday that the United States had an "armada" heading toward Iran but hoped he would not have to use it, renewing warnings to Tehran against killing protesters or restarting its nuclear program.
"We have a big force going toward Iran. I’d rather not see anything happen," he said.
He also described the deployment as a major naval presence, saying, "We have an armada. We have a massive fleet heading in that direction, and maybe we won’t have to use it. We’ll see."
"If the Americans violate Iran's sovereignty and territorial integrity, we will respond," the Iranian official said, declining to specify what an Iranian response might look like.
"A country under constant military threat from the United States has no option but to ensure that everything at its disposal can be used to push back and, if possible, restore balance against anyone who dares to attack Iran," the official said.
The U.S. military staged a major buildup last year ahead of its June strikes against Iran's nuclear program.
Israeli media reported concerns that Iran could launch a "preemptive strike" against Israel in response to U.S. attack threats.
Israel's Channel 12 television reported that security concerns have increased in Israel amid growing expectations that Iran will be targeted soon as the U.S. continues military movements in the region.
Security assessments indicate Israeli concerns focus on a "miscalculation scenario" in which Iran, believing the U.S. has already decided to attack, could launch a preemptive strike on Israel before any U.S. attack on Iran, according to the report.
"Israel claims that the U.S. military option against Iran is more probable than negotiations," the report stated.
Israeli Army Spokesman Effie Defrin announced on X that the Israeli military has focused throughout the week on raising preparedness levels in all areas for potential developments, referencing a possible U.S. attack on Iran.
Israel's public broadcaster KAN reported last week that Israeli assessments indicate the U.S. could launch an attack on Iran "in the coming days."
Dutch airline KLM abruptly canceled two overnight flights to Tel Aviv scheduled for Friday and Saturday amid heightened regional tensions.
KLM also decided to cancel flights bound for Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in the coming days without issuing a statement explaining the reasons or duration of the decision.
Germany's Lufthansa Group announced last week that it would restrict flights to the Middle East, citing concerns about the potential escalation of tensions between the U.S. and Iran.
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The Trump administration plans to deport at least 40 Iranian nationals to Iran as early as Sunday amid escalating tensions with Tehran, according to MSNOW.
Those facing deportation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are afraid for their safety if returned to Iran, the outlet reported, citing a former ICE official and a U.S. lawmaker. The deportation flight is scheduled to depart from Arizona on Sunday, Jan. 25.
Trump repeatedly threatened to "hit hard" if protesters were killed, but later commended Tehran for reportedly canceling hundreds of scheduled executions. The Wall Street Journal reported that Trump is pressing aides for "decisive" military options against Iran after stepping back from potential strikes.
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