Iran warns of ‘flames of war’ amid US strikes on energy infrastructure

Iran on Saturday warned of retaliation if the United States targets its critical energy infrastructure, accusing Washington of pushing the region towards a wider conflict amid media reports of possible US-Israeli strikes on civilian facilities.

Major General Ali Abdollahi, head of Iran's wartime military command, said the US was "moving at an accelerating pace to fan the flames of a full-scale regional war" and urged regional countries to reconsider their cooperation with Washington.

Addressing neighbouring countries, Abdollahi alleged that the US was using their territory, resources and infrastructure to advance its own interests while strengthening Israel's military campaign. He warned that countries acting as a "defensive shield" for the US risked being drawn into the conflict.

The warning followed reports by several US media outlets that Washington and Israel were considering a large-scale operation targeting Iran's civilian infrastructure, including power plants and petrochemical facilities.

The reports, citing unnamed sources, said US President Donald Trump had yet to give final approval for an operation that could last up to two weeks and disrupt electricity supplies in Tehran and other parts of the country.

Iranian state-linked Tasnim news agency, citing an unnamed source, reported that the country's armed forces had prepared an extensive retaliation plan targeting "vital infrastructure" linked to the US and Israel if such strikes were carried out.

Earlier this week, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said Israel wanted to strike Iran's energy infrastructure but claimed the US had not approved such action due to concerns that Iran could retaliate against neighbouring countries and trigger a global oil crisis.

The latest exchange of threats comes as military operations continue across the region. Kuwait said on Saturday that its air defences intercepted multiple Iranian drones after they entered the country's airspace, with some damage reported to government facilities and civilian vehicles.

Western maritime authorities also reported that at least two vessels were hit off the coast of Oman, while Iran said several ships had been turned back as restrictions remained in place around the Strait of Hormuz.

The conflict, which began in February, has seen the US and Israel conduct strikes on targets inside Iran, while Tehran has responded with missile and drone attacks on US and Israeli-linked military and energy infrastructure across the region, raising concerns about further escalation and disruptions to global energy supplies.