World braces for what Iran will do next
Iran has already fired missiles, and Israel has taken measures to protect its people, as the world holds its collective breath.
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Israel has shut down schools and banned gatherings across the country, and American troops are bracing for counter-attacks, as the world waits to see how Iran will respond to today’s US strikes.
Iran has already launched missiles at Israel as its Tel Aviv citizens scramble to shelter with reports of some casualties.
President Donald Trump said the US “successfully” carried out air strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites, “obliterating” the Fordow facility as well as those in Natanz and Isfahan.
After the attacks, Hossein Shariatmadari, a representative of Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said the Islamic republic was ready to respond.
“Now it is our turn to, without wasting time, as a first step, fire missiles at the US naval fleet in Bahrain and at the same time close the Strait of Hormuz to American, British, German and French ships,” he said in the Iranian Kayhan newspaper.
Later, an official statement from the Iranian Foreign Minister warned “the United States has launched a dangerous war” and would be “fully responsible” for the “consequences”.
Mr Trump told Iran the US was willing to continue its aerial campaign on Iran, including “greater” future attacks, if it did not comply with peace efforts.
“Any retaliation by Iran against the United States of America will be met with force far greater than what was witnessed tonight,” he said in a late-night post to Truth Social.
As the world waits to see how the Iran will respond, US military leaders are reportedly warning troops to brace for potential retaliatory strikes.
There are more than 40,000 US troops and civilians working for the Pentagon across the Middle East, according to figures from the New York Times, in nations such as Iraq, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emitrates.
Experts all agreed that Iran would retaliate against the US and Iran’s foreign minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi hinted on social media that nothing was off the table.
He described the US attack as “outrageous” and one that “will have everlasting consequences”.
“The United States, a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, has committed a grave violation of the UN Charter, international law and the NPT by attacking Iran’s peaceful nuclear installations,” he wrote on X.
“The events this morning are outrageous and will have everlasting consequences. Each and every member of the UN must be alarmed over this extremely dangerous, lawless and criminal behaviour.”
“In accordance with the UN Charter and its provisions allowing a legitimate response in self-defence, Iran reserves all options to defend its sovereignty, interest, and people.”
Retired US army officer John Spencer told ABC News that Iran could respond to the conflict via an “irrational route”.
“It could go with Hezbollah, which still has a lot of capabilities, against Israel, (and where) there are hundred of thousands of American citizens,” he said.
“It could (activate) Shia-backed militia groups in Iraq to attack American bases. It’s ballistic program, which is about 50 per cent destroyed, it could make that fatal mistake of launching ballistic missiles at American bases within its range.”
Meanwhile Omar Rahman, from the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, told the ABC that Iran had its “back to the wall” and it’s only option was to retaliate to ensure the regime’s credibility.
“I think you’re going to see some sort of military response here against US assets and military installations in the region,” he said.
“That could be against aircraft carriers in the Persian Gulf, it could be against any number of the bases and tens of thousands of US soldiers stationed in the region.”
Chillingly, others have warned that the US attack good push Iran to develop a nuclear weapon and this was likely the beginning of the war, rather than the end.
Israel, meanwhile, is bracing for further Iranian retaliation.
Shortly after Mr Trump confirmed the US strikes, the Israel Defence Force’s Home Front Command declared all schools across the country would close, social gatherings were banned and only essential businesses were allowed to operate, effective immediately.
Israeli military spokesman Avichay Adraee, who heads the IDF’s Arab media unit, issued an update to security restrictions in Israel.
“It was decided to move all regions of the country to the level of essential work,” he wrote on X.
“The instructions include prohibiting educational activities, gatherings, and work centres, with the exception of essential work areas.”
Around the world some are sounding the alarm that the escalation of the war could result in dire consequences.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned the US strikes on Iran were a “dangerous escalation in a region already on the edge – and a direct threat to international peace and security.”
“There is a growing risk that this conflict could rapidly get out of control – with catastrophic consequences for civilians, the region, and the world,” he said.
“At this perilous hour, it is critical to avoid a spiral of chaos. There is no military solution. The only path forward is diplomacy. The only hope is peace.”
Originally published as World braces for what Iran will do next
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