Iran Warns US Against New Attack Amid Rising Tensions

Iran has warned against any significant new attack by the United States and its allies, saying it has information that such a move is being prepared. The warning was issued on September 20, adding to anxiety in a region already on edge after recent drone and missile strikes on Saudi Arabia.

The Iranian military central command said any new attack would trigger sustained retaliation against US bases and interests, with regional allies also considered parties to the conflict. The US State Department had previously issued a security alert warning Americans of potential unforeseen escalation in the Middle East and advising them to exercise more vigilance due to possible flight cancellations and airspace closures.

The conflict between the US and Iran continues to spill over into other regional crises, with global energy markets already stretched. On September 19, Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis said they had carried out strikes in the Saudi capital Riyadh and on a major oil facility in Yanbu. The US State Department cited Houthi hostilities against Saudi Arabia, including civilian airports.

Riyadh is facing a painful dilemma: continue air strikes on the group to stop it seizing more Yemeni territory or step back in the hopes of averting drone strikes on critical infrastructure. With Iran already having blockaded most shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, oil exports from the Gulf are now almost entirely cut off from global markets.