Tehran, March 19 (ANI): Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed responsibility for strikes on what it described as US-linked oil facilities in the region, saying the actions formed the 63rd wave of its ongoing retaliatory Operation True Promise 4, undertaken after recent US-Israel strikes on Iran.
The IRGC Public Relations Office said the 63rd wave was also retaliation for the “martyrdom” of Iran’s Intelligence Minister Esmaeil Khatib and others during the aggression. The statement accused adversaries of attempting to punish Iran in part for nationwide rallies supporting the Islamic establishment and protesting the attacks.
“Attack on Iran’s energy infrastructure took conflict to a new stage,” the IRGC said, adding that Tehran had not intended to expand the war to oil facilities or harm the economies of friendly and neighboring countries. However, it said, the enemy’s aggression forced Iran to enter a new phase of the conflict, making defensive strikes against American-linked energy facilities necessary.
The IRGC also claimed to have struck up to 80 military and military-support targets in Israeli areas including Rishon LeZion, Ramla, Lod, Eilat, Ramat Gan, Bnei Brak, Bat Yam and Holon. It said all targets were hit surgically using multi-warhead missiles and attack drones.
Issuing a stern warning to US and Israeli forces, the IRGC said any repetition of strikes on Iran’s energy sites would lead to sustained attacks on their energy infrastructure and that of their allies “until total destruction,” adding that future responses would be far more severe than the recent strikes.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said the United States and Qatar were not aware of the attacks and asserted that Israel would not target the South Pars gas field unless Iran again attacked Qatar. In a post on Truth Social, he said Washington would not hesitate to authorise massive retaliation against Tehran if Qatar’s energy facilities were struck again, and that he did not want to endorse such destruction because of its long-term implications for Iran.
The attacks on Iran’s gas field and Qatar’s LNG facilities have pushed oil prices higher, with little sign of a quick resolution to the conflict. (ANI)
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