Iran Warns Any US Strikes Will be Considered Declaration of Full-Scale War

Iran has warned that it would consider any military strike against it as a declaration of full-scale war, a senior Iranian official said on Friday, as the United States prepares to deploy an aircraft carrier strike group and additional military assets to the Middle East.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the official said Iran’s armed forces have been placed on the highest level of alert in response to the growing US military presence in the region. While expressing hope that the build-up is not aimed at confrontation, the official said Tehran is preparing for the worst-case scenario.

“Any form of attack—whether limited, surgical or otherwise—will be treated as an all-out war against Iran,” the official said, adding that the country would respond with maximum force.

The warning came a day after US President Donald Trump said that an “armada” was heading towards Iran, though he expressed hope that the military deployment would not have to be used. Trump reiterated earlier warnings to Tehran against cracking down on protesters or reviving its nuclear programme.

The United States had carried out a significant military mobilisation in the Middle East last year before joining Israel in military action against Iran, including strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in June.

US Mobilizes

According to US officials, the Pentagon has ordered the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, along with three accompanying destroyers, to move to the region. The naval group departed the South China Sea earlier this week and is currently in the Indian Ocean. Once deployed, the carrier strike group will join three US littoral combat ships docked in Bahrain and two other US destroyers operating in the Persian Gulf.

The deployment is expected to bring approximately 5,700 additional US military personnel to the region. The United States maintains several bases across the Middle East, including Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, which hosts thousands of American troops and serves as the forward headquarters of US Central Command.

The Iranian official said Tehran would respond if the United States infringed upon Iran’s sovereignty or territorial integrity, though he declined to elaborate on the nature of any retaliatory action.

A nation facing sustained military pressure from the United States, the official added, has no alternative but to ensure it is fully prepared to defend itself and counter any potential aggression.