Iran warns public to avoid US bases across Middle East

The Islamic Republic also urged countries hosting American forces to end their military cooperation with Washington.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Iran warned people on Saturday to stay away from U.S. military bases across the Middle East as Tehran intensified its threats against American forces following days of military exchanges between the two countries.

Iran’s official state broadcaster issued the warning while claiming Tehran had expanded its military campaign against U.S. positions in the region.

“In response to US acts of aggression and threats from terrorist groups, Iran has launched missile strikes targeting Sulaymaniyah (Iraq) and Bahrain,” Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting claimed. “People should stay away from US bases.”

The broadcaster also urged countries hosting American forces to end their military cooperation with Washington.

“If you want to remain safe from Iran’s missiles, summon your #courage and assert your #independence, and shut down U.S. military bases on your territory,” it said.

Since Friday night, Iran has launched missile and drone attacks against American military facilities in Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan. Tehran has also struck Saudi infrastructure and sites in Iraq.

The latest attacks killed two U.S. military personnel in Jordan, while another soldier remains missing.

Tehran has said the attacks were carried out in retaliation for what it described as U.S. strikes on civilian targets inside Iran during the past eight days of military operations.

The White House rejected that accusation.

“The United States military has carried out strikes exclusively on military targets, including military logistics infrastructure,” White House spokesperson Anna Kelly told the New York Post.

She added: “In contrast, the Iranian regime has intentionally targeted civilian vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and lashed out against its neighbors, who have no role in this conflict.”

Kelly said President Donald Trump had directed U.S. Central Command to continue military operations against Iran.

“President Trump will not allow these acts of terrorism to continue unanswered, which is why he has directed CENTCOM to degrade Iran’s ability to carry out these attacks and hold the regime accountable,” she added.

The statements reflected increasingly confrontational rhetoric from both sides as Iran continued attacks against U.S. positions across the Middle East and Washington maintained that its military campaign was directed exclusively at Iranian military targets.