Iran’s armed forces on Saturday accused the United States of deliberately escalating tensions in the Middle East and issued a direct warning to Washington’s regional allies. In a statement read on state television, Major General Ali Abdollahi, head of the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, said the United States was “rapidly moving down the path of escalating tensions in the region” and described the American approach as part of a strategy aimed at imposing hegemony. The general warned that “any country serving as defensive shield for criminal and aggressive America will be engulfed by the flames of war,” a formulation carried by multiple outlets and aimed at governments that host US military assets or cooperate with Washington.

The Iranian statement followed a threat by US President Donald Trump, who on Friday said he would hit Iran “very hard.” American media, citing anonymous sources, reported that the administration was considering a new wave of heavy strikes as soon as this weekend, potentially targeting energy infrastructure. CBS noted that the president had not yet given final approval for the bombing campaign, but that coordination with Israel was under way. The US embassy in Jerusalem, in a security alert, described the Iranian regime as “unpredictable” and pointed to recent attacks on previously untouched areas, including a drone strike on a US-owned gas carrier in an Egyptian port on Wednesday.

On the ground, the week saw a resumption of overnight exchanges of fire between the two sides after a days-long lull, though no strikes were reported in the night from Friday to Saturday. US diplomatic missions in Amman, Jerusalem, Muscat, Baghdad and Beirut issued alerts urging American citizens to consider leaving the region or to be ready to depart in the event of escalation, warning of possible flight cancellations, airspace closures and travel disruptions. In Jordan, citizens were told to avoid US military bases, which have been targeted by Iranian missiles.

The current cycle of confrontation began on 28 February, when the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran. Tehran retaliated with missile and drone attacks across the region, and the two sides have since engaged in repeated rounds of strikes. Viewed from Tehran, the US posture is seen as a continuation of that initial aggression, while Washington frames its actions as a response to Iranian attacks. The Iranian military command now asserts that the balance of power has shifted and that US failures have pushed Washington to wage war from behind the territory of Islamic countries. No final decision on the reported new US strikes has been announced, and the situation remains fluid.