US warns Iran's retaliation to Israeli strike could trigger mass casualties
Iran expected to launch major retaliatory strike against Israel
US and Israeli officials are bracing for what they describe as an imminent and potentially devastating retaliatory strike from Iran, following Israel's confirmed preemptive attack on Iranian nuclear and military facilities. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Friday, June 13, that 'a missile and UAV (drone) attack against the State of Israel and its civilian population is expected in the immediate timeframe.'
Iran has placed its air defense forces on full alert and has threatened a swift and forceful response. Iranian officials have declared the attack a provocation, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps preparing coordinated military responses.
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Israel says it strikes Iran's nuclear sites as hinted by Trump, declares state of 'emergency'
According to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, 'If they destroy our (nuclear facilities) with a bomb, they will be destroyed. All these capabilities are in our minds, and therefore, whatever they do, we will rebuild.'
Gen. Hossein Salami, commander of the IRGC, added that Iran has already selected its targets. 'Iran is ready for war,' he said, promising that any retaliation 'will be more painful and more destructive' than previous attacks.
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US preparing for worst-case scenario as military families evacuated
White House envoy Steve Witkoff privately told top Republican senators last week that Iran's response could overwhelm Israel's air defense systems, potentially resulting in large-scale civilian and military casualties.
Witkoff raised concerns about Iran's growing
ballistic missile arsenal
, now estimated by US intelligence to include 2,000 missiles capable of carrying warheads of 2,000 pounds or more. Iran has also reportedly developed a new missile with a 4,000-pound payload, according to its defense ministry.
Witkoff warned that Iran's retaliatory capabilities could exceed Israel's current air defense interceptor capacity. 'Iran's ballistic missile arsenal is as big of an existential threat for Israel as its nuclear capabilities,' he said during a public appearance in New York earlier this week.
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Israel-Iran war looming? US evacuates non-essential staff from middle-east, UK cautions ships in Gulf
CENTCOM commander Gen. Erik Kurilla told the House Armed Services Committee that US forces across the Middle East could also be targeted. In response, the US has begun evacuating non-essential personnel from its embassy in Baghdad and family members of military personnel from several Gulf bases.
The State Department has imposed new security restrictions on US diplomats and their families in Israel as the situation deteriorates.
Retaliation threatens diplomatic talks as oil prices surge
The Israeli airstrike has placed renewed pressure on ongoing nuclear negotiations. A sixth round of talks between the US and Iran was scheduled for Sunday, June 15, in Oman, but officials say diplomacy is now at risk of collapsing due to heightened military tensions.
Witkoff is expected to meet with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, though Iranian leaders have signaled a hardened position. Iran has announced new military drills 'focused on the movements of the enemy' and has vowed to escalate uranium enrichment activities in response to a condemnation by the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Crude oil prices jumped over $3 a barrel in the hours following the
Israeli strike
, reflecting investor concerns over supply disruptions stemming from potential war in the Gulf region.
Also read:
Israel fully ready to launch operation in Iran: Sources
While Israel has not confirmed US involvement, two US officials told Reuters that the strike was carried out independently by Israel. Nonetheless, the Trump administration is preparing for a range of potential escalatory outcomes, including regional conflict.
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