Iran Warns America's Oil-Rich Middle East Allies To Not Help Israel; Cybercriminals Target Tehran's Nuclear Facilities

This comes in the wake of Israel's call for severe reprisal after Iran fired about 180 ballistic missiles at Israel earlier this month

Iran's supreme leader Seyyed Ali Hosseini Khamenei and Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu (Image: PTI)

Source : PTI

Tehran has reportedly warned its oil-rich Arab states and other US allies in the Middle East of retaliation if their territories or airspace are used to aid Israel in any potential attacks on Iran. The threat was conveyed through secret diplomatic channels to countries like Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar, all of which host US military forces, the Wall Street Journal reported.

 

The warnings could mean that any escalation to flaring Iranian-Israeli tensions may spiral into other countries in the critical oil-exporting region. "Iran has warned it would respond with devastating hits on Israel’s civilian infrastructure, and would retaliate against any Arab state that facilitated the attack," the daily reported.

Citing US defence officials, the report said that some US allies in the Middle East have conveyed to Washington that they disapprove of Israeli or American use of their airspace or land for any attack on Iran. 

This comes in the wake of Israel's call for severe reprisal after Iran fired about 180 ballistic missiles at Israel earlier this month, with some Israeli officials pushing for damaging strikes on Tehran’s nuclear facilities or oil infrastructure.

Iran Nuclear Facilities, Govt Targeted In Massive Cyberattacks

Meanwhile, Iran’s nuclear facilities and nearly all three government branches were hit by massive cyberattacks, Iran International reported, citing an ex-secretary of Iran’s Supreme Council of Cyberspace. While the report did not mention when this happened and who was behind the attacks, it is being said that important information has been stolen.

"Nearly all three branches of Iran's government - the judiciary, the legislature and the executive branch - have been hit by heavy cyberattacks, and their information was stolen," said Hassan Firouzabadi, former secretary of Iran’s Supreme Council of Cyberspace, according to Iran International.

"Our nuclear facilities have also been targeted by cyberattacks, as well as networks like fuel distribution, municipal networks, transportation networks, ports, and similar sectors. These are just part of a long list of various areas across the country that have been attacked," he added.