Iran’s Supreme Leader threatens US with response if strikes are launched after midterms

Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei issued a stark message on Friday, warning the U.S. against its reported plans to resume strikes against the country following the midterm elections.

Khamenei directed senior Iranian military officials in a meeting to deliver an “immediate, impactful response without geographical limitations,” according to Iran’s official IRNA news agency .

The leader reportedly instructed these military leaders to update their target database “to ensure that all physical and non-physical assets” of the U.S. and Israeli armies are brought within reach of the Iranian armed forces.

The Hill has reached out to the White House for comment.

On Friday, several outlets reported that the U.S. had notified several Arab countries to prepare for a short U.S. military campaign following the Nov. 3 elections, with fresh attacks expected as soon as the following day, three senior Gulf Arab officials told MS NOW.

President Trump promised earlier this month he would not launch strikes against Iran ahead of the midterms, as he continues to face pressure to wind down this war amid rising energy prices and other costs tied to the conflict.

The war, which began with joint U.S.-Israeli strikes launched on Feb. 28, has now stretched over eight months. The conflict has cost the U.S. around $47 billion , according to an Oct. 16 estimate from U.S. Central Command.

At a rally last week , the president indicated his administration “may do another little Epic Fury” if Iran refuses to meet U.S. demands, in reference to the U.S.’s military operations against Tehran, dubbed “Operation Epic Fury.”

“If they’re smart, they’ll just say, ‘Let’s get down to business,’” the president said. “But, you know, I doubt they’ll do that because perhaps they’re not smart.”

The Trump administration has also waged a massive effort to isolate Iran’s economy, called “Operation Economic Outcast,” by placing sanctions on Iranian oil and imposing a U.S. naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil trading corridor.

The Treasury Department said in a Friday report that the campaign was “decimating” Iran’s economy, finding headline inflation in the country reached 90 percent in September.