‘Legitimate targets’: Iran warns US of retaliation; Israel on high alert — will Trump order a strike?

Nationwide protests challenging Iran’s enactment entered their 3rd week connected Sunday, with demonstrators erstwhile again flooding the streets of Tehran and Mashhad, the country’s 2 largest cities. The unrest has turned progressively violent, with astatine slightest 116 radical killed truthful far, according to rights groups monitoring the situation.Israel connected precocious alertMeanwhile, Israel is connected precocious alert arsenic US president Donald Trump is weighing options for subject strikes successful Iran amid ongoing protests successful the country, quality bureau Reuters reported, citing 3 Israeli sources acquainted with the matter.

The quality bureau cited a root and claimed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US caput of authorities Marco Rubio discussed the anticipation of US involution successful Iran implicit a telephone telephone connected Saturday.Additionally, the substance was besides discussed during Israeli information consultations implicit the weekend, it added.The sources, however, did not elaborate connected what Israel’s high-alert footing meant successful practice. 'USA stands acceptable to help'Earlier successful the day, Trump warned Iran against continuing to termination protestors and indicated that the United States stands acceptable to act.In a Truth Social station connected Saturday (US section time), helium wrote: “Iran is looking astatine FREEDOM, possibly similar ne'er before. The USA stands acceptable to help!!!”According to US officials, Trump is earnestly considering authorising a onslaught successful effect to the Iranian regime's efforts to suppress demonstrations acceptable disconnected by wide economical grievances.

The president has been presented with a scope of options, including strikes connected nonmilitary sites successful Tehran, the capital, the New York Times reported, citing sources.

Senior US officials said that astatine slightest immoderate of the options presented to Trump for the concern successful Iran would beryllium tied straight to elements of the country's information services that are utilizing unit to enactment down the increasing protests.Iran's counter-threat to US and IsraelMeanwhile, Iran warned that determination US subject bases and Israel would beryllium “legitimate targets” if America strikes the Islamic Republic.Iran's parliament talker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf made the menace arsenic lawmakers rushed the dais successful the Iranian parliament, shouting: “Death to America!”

“The radical of Iran should cognize that we volition woody with them successful the astir terrible mode and punish those who are arrested,” Qalibaf said.He went connected to straight endanger Israel, “the occupied territory,” arsenic helium referred to it, and the US military, perchance with a preemptive strike.“In the lawsuit of an onslaught connected Iran, some the occupied territory and each American subject centers, bases and ships successful the portion volition beryllium our morganatic targets,” Qalibaf said. “We bash not see ourselves constricted to reacting aft the enactment and volition enactment based connected immoderate nonsubjective signs of a threat.”116 dormant successful convulsive protests successful IranAt slightest 116 civilians were killed and hundreds were injured successful Iran arsenic the state is witnessing 1 of the largest protests since 2022, erstwhile the decease of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini successful constabulary custody sparked nationwide anti-government protests.Protests fuelled by a deepening economical situation person swept Iran since they began connected December 28, pursuing the illness of the Iranian rial, arsenic soaring ostentation has driven frustrated traders and assemblage students into the streets of large cities, including Tehran.

Online videos sent retired of Iran, apt utilizing Starlink outer transmitters, purportedly showed demonstrators gathering successful bluish Tehran's Punak neighborhood. There, it appeared authorities unopen disconnected streets, with protesters waving their lit mobile phones. Others banged metallic portion fireworks went off.The authorities person cut-off the net and telephone lines, forcing the federation into a near-total nationwide net blackout.