Iran warns Washington it will retaliate against any attack

Tehran on Sunday (January 11) threatened to retaliate against Israel and U.S. bases in the event of U.S. strikes on Iran, delivering the warning to Washington as Israeli sources said Israel was on high alert for the possibility of any U.S. intervention.

With Iran's clerical establishment facing the biggest anti-government protests since 2022, U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to intervene in recent days, warning Iranian leaders against using force against demonstrators. On Saturday, Trump said the U.S. stood “ready to help”.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, speaking in parliament on Sunday, warned the United States against "a miscalculation."

"Let us be clear: in the case of an attack on Iran, the occupied territories (Israel) as well as all U.S. bases and ships will be our legitimate target,” said Qalibaf, a former commander in Iran's Revolutionary Guards.

Three Israeli sources, who were present for Israeli security consultations over the weekend, said Israel was on a high alert footing, but did not elaborate on what that meant.

An Israeli government spokesperson declined to comment. The Israeli military didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

Israel and Iran fought a 12-day war in June, in which the U.S. joined Israel in launching airstrikes. Iran retaliated for those U.S. strikes by firing missiles at an American air base in Qatar.

Protests have spread across Iran since December 28, beginning in response to soaring inflation, and quickly turning political with protesters demanding an end to clerical rule. Authorities accuse the U.S. and Israel of fomenting unrest.

Production: Bahareh Khodabandeh, Lisa Giles-Keddie/Reuters