The threats come as Trump says he is nearing a decision on whether to dramatically escalate the campaign.
By United with Israel Staff
Iran has threatened to strike Tel Aviv if President Donald Trump orders a major expansion of the U.S. military campaign against Tehran, as Israel raises its level of preparedness for the possibility that it could be drawn directly into the escalating conflict.
According to The New York Times, Iranian officials warned that an intensified American offensive would trigger retaliation against Israel, including strikes on Tel Aviv. Tehran also reportedly threatened to order the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen to blockade the Bab al-Mandab Strait, another critical shipping route connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.
The threats come as Trump says he is nearing a decision on whether to dramatically escalate the campaign.
“I’m close to making a decision,” Trump told Axios, describing one option under consideration as a “massive attack. Bigger than ever before.”
Trump said American forces are fully prepared to carry out the operation without Israeli assistance, while adding that Israel “would join in two minutes if I ask them to.”
Israel, however, is not waiting for the situation to develop before preparing for the possibility of renewed direct fighting with Iran.
Several municipalities have begun opening public bomb shelters and strengthening emergency preparedness, despite the Home Front Command making no official change to nationwide civilian guidelines. Herzliya, Eilat, Ramat Gan and Karmiel are among the cities that have announced precautionary measures.
IDF spokesperson Lt. Col. Ella Waweya said the military is at “full readiness” for renewed combat with Iran, stressing that one of the central lessons Israel drew from the October 7 massacre is that it cannot simply wait to absorb an enemy’s first strike.
Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a similar warning to Tehran. “If Iran attacks Israel, it will suffer a crushing blow,” Katz said.
Western intelligence assessments have reportedly raised concerns that Tehran could attempt to bring Israel into the conflict as U.S. attacks intensify.
The heightened alert comes after nearly two weeks of uninterrupted American military operations. On Thursday night, U.S. Central Command announced that it had completed its 13th consecutive night of strikes against Iran.
CENTCOM said American forces struck Iranian military command centers, drone storage facilities, communications networks, coastal surveillance sites and maritime capabilities as part of efforts to reduce Tehran’s ability to threaten commercial shipping.
The command said the Strait of Hormuz remains open despite recent attacks by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, with commercial vessels continuing to transit the strategic waterway under U.S. military protection. More than 50,000 American service members are currently deployed across the Middle East.
Diplomatic efforts have so far failed to halt the escalation. Iran reportedly rejected a U.S.-backed ceasefire proposal delivered by Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, insisting that any agreement must address the future of the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump has also warned that Washington intends to use seized Iranian assets to compensate commercial vessels damaged in attacks in the Gulf. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the proposal as “incendiary” and warned that confiscating state assets could establish a dangerous international precedent.
With Washington considering a significantly larger attack and Tehran explicitly threatening Tel Aviv in response, Israeli officials are preparing for the possibility that the conflict could expand rapidly beyond the current U.S.-Iran confrontation.