Iranian officials have raised the possibility of launching ground incursions into neighboring countries if the United States resumes military strikes against the Islamic Republic, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with warnings conveyed by Tehran. The threats are part of a broader Iranian effort to deter Washington from launching another round of attacks after the November 3 midterm elections.
According to the report, some Iranian officials have hinted that their forces could cross into neighboring countries as part of a wider military escalation. The potential targets of such ground operations were not specified. Tehran has also privately warned Arab officials that renewed fighting could trigger attacks on Saudi oil facilities and other strategic infrastructure across the Gulf.
Iranian national security official Mohsen Rezaei warned Sunday that Tehran could strike the United Arab Emirates, which has largely avoided attacks since late spring, as well as data centers and internet cables across the region. Separately, Iranian officials have told mediators that their forces could intensify attacks on American personnel, including attempts to sink US warships in the Middle East and kill their crews, according to people familiar with the warnings cited by the Journal.
The threats follow a series of attacks that have heightened regional tensions. At least three commercial vessels were struck over the weekend in and around the Strait of Hormuz, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations agency. A drone attack also set an Emirati tanker ablaze near Oman, leaving two Indian sailors missing. Meanwhile, a Houthi missile strike on Riyadh's international airport Saturday killed at least 13 people and wounded hundreds more.
Washington is also preparing for the possibility of renewed fighting. A third American aircraft carrier strike group and another Marine expeditionary unit are heading toward the Middle East, while the Pentagon is considering deploying additional air-defense systems and munitions to regional bases. President Donald Trump has ruled out strikes before the midterm elections but has publicly discussed targeting Iran's Pickaxe Mountain nuclear facility.
The Journal also reported that the Pentagon moved approximately 12 B-1 bombers from a military base in Britain last week over concerns that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps was planning a drone attack. Iranian missiles had previously come close to American warships during attacks in September, highlighting the risks facing US forces in the region.
Armed women during an apparent drill in Tehran, Iran, as part of the ‘Sacrifice of Life’ campaign, in which regime supporters volunteer to die for the Islamic Republic
Meanwhile, Tehran has used the relative pause in direct fighting to rebuild missile and drone production facilities and replenish its arsenal, while strengthening defenses around sensitive sites. Satellite imagery analyzed by the Institute for Science and International Security shows that Iran recently constructed earthen barriers around the Pickaxe Mountain and Natanz nuclear facilities, apparently intended to obstruct possible ground raids.
Iran's preparations extend beyond military installations. State media has intensified coverage of pro-government rallies, while billboards in Tehran advertise civilian training in shoulder-fired antiaircraft missiles and sniper rifles. The Revolutionary Guard has publicized training for female commando units and even sent personnel to a kindergarten in Sabzevar, where they recounted wartime experiences and displayed what they described as a neutralized American Tomahawk missile.
The Journal noted that Iran's ability to defend against advanced American aircraft and cruise missiles remains limited, making threats of regional escalation a central element of its deterrence strategy. The preparations suggest that Tehran is attempting both to discourage another US attack and to ready itself for a conflict that could extend far beyond Iranian territory.