Pro-Hizbullah Daily: U.S. Interests In Middle East To Become Tehran Target Bank If U.S. Intervenes In Israel-Iran War; Iran Has 'Surprises' To 'Embarrass Washington'

Memri

5 hours ago

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On June 18, 2025, while Arab and Western media increasingly debated whether the U.S. would join the Israel-Iran war to assist Israel, the pro-Hizbullah Lebanese Al-Akhbar daily published two wide-ranging articles that detail the threat posed by Iran to American forces in the Middle East. The articles also relate to harsh consequences they claim the U.S. will face on land and at sea, if it interferes in the fighting. One article reviews the deployment of American forces in the Middle East and suggests that these forces will become "a bank of strategic targets" for Iran, if the U.S. joins the war. A second article states that the Iranian missile arsenal comprises types of missiles that have yet to be revealed, and hints at additional "tactical surprises" in the hands of the Iranians which, according to Al-Akhbar, would "embarrass Washington."[1]
The above illustrative photograph appeared with the first article referred to below.
The following are the main points raised in the Al-Akhbar articles that appeared on June 18, 2025:
One of the articles titled "Washington's Assets in the Region: Valuable Target Bank for Tehran," details the deployment of American forces in the Middle East and the Horn of Africa and states that the U.S. army has more than 50 bases in countries that are allies of the U.S., from the area of the Persian Gulf to Turkey and the Horn of Africa, including "an undeclared presence" of American forces on Israeli territory. The article provides the names of the bases, their locations, and the scope of the deployment of the forces stationed there.
According to the article there are 2,500 American soldiers stationed at seven bases across Iraq; 1,500 in Syria, also stationed at seven bases; 2,000 stationed at one base in Turkey; 3,000 across four bases in Jordan; 3,000 across five bases in Saudi Arabia; 9,000 across three bases in Bahrain; 13,000 at one base in Qatar; 5,000 on three bases in the Emirates; and in Oman it says that there are 600 American soldiers stationed at six bases. These numbers don't include the soldiers on several aircraft carriers and destroyers that are already in the region or en route to the Middle East, as well as additional forces on the island of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean. The article implies that the network of American bases in the Middle East "will become a bank of strategic targets for Iran."
A second article titled "Iranian Surprises that Await the Americans: This is What Iran Has Up Its Sleeve" claims that the Iranian missile arsenal contains missiles of a range that has not yet been disclosed, as well as "tactical surprises which are likely to embarrass Washington." It lists the main types of missiles that Iran has, and among other things mentions that Iran has extended the range of its missiles and improved their accuracy so that they can hit a target with an accuracy of seven to 50 meters. The article also claims that Iran has enlarged its missiles' warheads to a weight of two tons, and improved their ability to maneuver and their resistance to the electronic warfare employed by the enemy. It further states that Iran has developed hypersonic missiles, long-range cruise missiles, anti-ship missiles with a range of up to 300 km., and various types of drones with a range of 2,000 km.
The article states that Iran focused on developing missiles that will enable it to go to war with the U.S., to attack its bases, and to wear down its forces in the region. It claims that Iran has a large supply of long-range missiles to enable it to wage an open-ended war against Israel, and that to this end it built "missile cities" across the country that can store great quantities of missiles. According to the article, to date Iran has only revealed that it has missiles with a 2,000 km. range, although it is believed that it actually possesses missiles with a range of 4,000 km, whose existence it chose not to disclose so as not to arouse the concern of countries in Europe.
The above photograph, published with the second article referred to in this report, shows the aftermath of an Iranian missile attack on northern Israel.
These articles in the Al-Akhbar daily follow similar reports published on June 17 by media outlets affiliated with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Iran-backed militias in Iraq, which highlight the vulnerability of U.S. military bases in the Middle East to Iranian missile strikes,[2] and warn that American interference in the war against Iran will activate the regional axis of resistance and claim "a heavy price" from the U.S. in the Middle East and across the world.[3]