"Limited Strike is an Illusion": Iran Warns US That Any Attack Means Total War

Tensions between the United States and Iran have escalated sharply as a top advisor to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei delivered a direct and menacing threat against Israel in response to American military buildup in the region. Ali Shamkhani posted on social media in Hebrew that any US military operation would cross a red line. "A limited strike is an illusion," Shamkhani wrote. "Any military action by the United States from any source and at any level will be considered the opening of war, and the response will be immediate and unprecedented, directed at the aggressor, at the heart of Tel Aviv and all supporters of the aggressor."

Shamkhani's statement came amid growing friction following repeated warnings from President Donald Trump about a massive US naval armada heading toward Iran. The advisor emphasized that Tehran views even a restricted attack as equivalent to declaring all-out war, promising a swift retaliation focused on Israel as a key US ally. Iran's embassy to the United Nations echoed a similar defiant tone in its response to US pressure, stating, "The last time the United States got entangled in wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, it wasted over 7 trillion dollars and lost more than 7,000 Americans. Iran is ready for dialogue based on respect and mutual interests. But if pushed into a corner, it will defend itself and respond in an unprecedented manner."

This rhetoric aligns with broader Iranian statements warning of severe consequences for any aggression. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei previously declared that the Islamic Republic would deliver a "comprehensive and regret-inducing" response to any hostile act. The threats coincide with reports of Iran executing an alleged Mossad spy, an action Tehran framed as part of its internal security measures amid nationwide unrest that has claimed tens of thousands of lives according to independent tallies.

President Trump has continued to press Iran toward negotiations while flexing military muscle, posting on his social media platform that a "massive Armada is heading to Iran" led by the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln and larger than previous deployments near Venezuela. He urged the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to reach a "fair and equitable deal" with no nuclear weapons, warning that the next attack would be far worse than previous operations. In earlier comments, Trump claimed he personally intervened to halt hundreds of executions in Iran by threatening severe retaliation, stating he stopped 837 hangings just before they occurred.

The exchange of threats occurs against the backdrop of a significant US military reinforcement in the Middle East, including 30,000 to 40,000 American troops positioned across bases within range of Iranian missiles and drones. Iran's warnings appear designed to deter any preemptive or limited US strikes while signaling readiness for escalation that could directly involve Israel.