Iran warns UAE Ras Al Khaimah may be targeted; residents told to evacuate.

Iran has issued a stern warning to the United Arab Emirates over potential attacks targeting Iranian islands in the Persian Gulf.

The Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, Iran's highest operational command unit coordinating between the Army and Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), warned that any aggression launched from UAE territory against Iranian islands would face direct military retaliation.

Mehr News Agency

The warning specifically mentioned the Iranian islands of Abu Musa and Greater Tunb as potential targets, with Iran threatening to strike Ras Al Khaimah in response.

The urgency of the situation was underscored by Iran's issuance of evacuation orders to Ras Al Khaimah residents, who were told to leave via designated routes immediately.

The territorial dispute centers on the Iranian islands of Abu Musa and Greater Tunb, which Iran considers integral to its national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

IRGC spokesman Ebrahim Zolfaghari emphasized that Iran had previously announced and demonstrated in practice that the source of any aggression against its territory would be targeted.

PressTV

The warning specifically stated that if any new attack were launched from UAE territory against these islands, Iran's armed forces would strike Ras Al Khaimah, an industrial port city that serves as the largest city and capital of the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah in the UAE.

The threats come amid heightened tensions following Iran's ongoing retaliatory Operation True Promise 4 against what Iran describes as 'unprovoked American-Israeli aggression' against the Islamic Republic.

Iran has adopted a clear military posture signaling its readiness to escalate force in response to any perceived aggression.

“Iran's highest operational command unit has warned the United Arab Emirates against allowing its soil to be used again as a launch pad for aggression targeting the Iranian islands of Abu Musa and Greater Tunb in the Persian Gulf”

PressTV

The IRGC's Khatam al-Anbiya spokesperson warned that the UAE would face 'heavy and crushing strikes' if any attack originates from its territory against Iranian islands.

Iranian officials reiterated that their offensive strategy is based on striking the source of any aggression with force exceeding previous attacks.

The warnings were accompanied by statements indicating that Iranian armed forces are 'fully prepared for this phase' of potential conflict.

This aggressive stance reflects Iran's broader regional strategy of deterrence through the threat of disproportionate retaliation against any actions targeting Iranian territory or sovereignty.

The escalating tensions between Iran and the UAE occur against a backdrop of broader regional instability and ongoing conflicts.

Iran's recent military activities extend beyond the Persian Gulf region, with reports indicating that Iran fired two intermediate-range ballistic missiles toward the US-UK military base at Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, representing a rare long-range strike that signals an attempt to project power beyond the Middle East.

PressTV

While neither missile hit the base, this action demonstrates Iran's expanding military capabilities and willingness to engage in direct confrontation with Western military interests in the region.

The situation is further complicated by the involvement of multiple regional actors and the potential for the conflict to spread beyond its current geographic boundaries.

The evacuation orders issued to Ras Al Khaimah residents represent a significant humanitarian concern as civilians face the immediate threat of potential military targeting.

“ByPalestine Chronicle Staff TASNIM (via AL MAYADEEN / agencies): Iran has issued an urgent evacuation warning to residents of Ras Al Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates, warning the city may be targeted in the near future”

Palestine Chronicle

Iran's warning described the situation as urgent, with residents told to leave the city 'immediately via designated routes.'

Mehr News Agency

The evacuation orders suggest that Iran views the potential targeting of Ras Al Khaimah as imminent rather than hypothetical.

This development raises serious questions about the protection of civilian populations in potential conflict zones and the potential for civilian casualties in any military confrontation between Iran and the UAE.

The situation underscores the increasingly dangerous nature of regional tensions and the real human cost that could result from escalating military threats between the two nations.