IRAN launched a two-day military exercise aimed at “confronting possible threats” facing the Islamic Republic.
The Iranian army’s ground forces tested the flight readiness of more than 200 helicopters as tensions caused by the Israel-Hamas war resonate in the Middle East.
The two-day military drill which ended this past weekend has been carried out in the central Isfahan province, amid fears that the Israel-Hamas war could spread in the region.
The exercise involved testing the army’s infantry, armored vehicles, missiles, artillery, drones, and cyber warfare units from the country’s seven provinces.
Army units assessed the capabilities of their equipment in terms of firing range, hitting precision, identification of the exercise area, and intelligence gathering.
Iran, a known supporter of Hamas, has repeatedly warned Israel to stop the war in Gaza and threatened that the United States will not be spared if the fighting turns into a broader conflict. Meanwhile, the United States announced sanctions on members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, or IRGC last week as part of an effort to dismantle funding networks for Hamas.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also warned that Washington would act swiftly and decisively if Iran or its proxies attack U.S. personnel anywhere.
Blinken added that the State Department is offering millions of dollars in rewards for information on certain activities by Hamas and its leaders.
Washington also designated individuals and entities in Iran as supporters of Hamas by helping finance and train members of the Palestinian militant group.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian on Sunday said that Tehran does not want the war to spread out in the region and dismissed accusations by the United States connecting the Islamic Republic to the surprise attack launched by Hamas.