Date: September 20, 2026
Reporter: Emilly Jordan
DUBAI — Iran warned the United States and its allies on Sunday against launching any major new attack, saying it had information that preparations were underway and threatening sustained retaliation against U.S. military bases and interests across the region.
Iran’s military central command said any fresh attack would result in a strong and continuing response. It also warned that countries allied with Washington in the region would be treated as parties to the conflict if they became involved in a new assault. Iranian officials did not provide details about the intelligence they said indicated that another U.S. attack was being prepared.
The warning came as tensions across the Middle East continued to rise following a series of missile and drone attacks involving Iran, the United States and regional forces. The United States and Iran have been engaged in a conflict that began with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran in February, with the confrontation increasingly affecting neighbouring countries, energy infrastructure and international shipping.
U.S. President Donald Trump issued his own warning on Sunday, saying Iran faced severe economic consequences or the possibility of its leadership being removed if Tehran did not reach an agreement with Washington. At the same time, Trump said he remained open to meeting Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, who is expected to travel to New York this week for the United Nations General Assembly.
The exchange of threats came shortly after renewed attacks involving Yemen's Houthi movement and Saudi Arabia. The Houthis, who are backed by Iran, said they had launched missile and drone strikes against what they described as sensitive targets in Riyadh and against a major oil facility in Yanbu on Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coast.
Reuters footage showed a large column of black smoke rising near Riyadh's main international airport after explosions were heard in the Saudi capital. Saudi Arabia did not immediately comment on the Houthi claims, while a Saudi-led coalition said it had intercepted other attacks targeting the kingdom. The United States has also issued a security alert warning Americans in the region about the possibility of further escalation, flight cancellations and airspace closures.
The latest Houthi attacks have added another dimension to an already complicated regional conflict. The group has made significant advances along Yemen's Red Sea coastline following the renewed outbreak of fighting in Yemen, placing its forces closer to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a major maritime passage connecting the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and routes toward Asia.
The developments around the Bab el-Mandeb have raised concerns about international shipping because the waterway is an important route for commercial vessels moving between Europe, the Middle East and Asia. At the same time, Iran's restrictions on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz have severely disrupted energy exports from the Gulf.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most important energy corridors. Before the conflict, roughly one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies passed through the waterway. The continuing restrictions have contributed to pressure on global energy markets, while the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports has also severely limited Iran's ability to export oil.
Iran has continued to insist that it will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz until the terms of an interim agreement reached in June are met according to Tehran's interpretation. That ceasefire arrangement subsequently broke down in July amid disagreements over its terms.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said on Sunday that Tehran would continue both fighting and negotiations, describing diplomacy as a means of consolidating gains while confronting what Iranian officials regard as threats from the United States and its allies.
The United States, meanwhile, has maintained pressure on Tehran while warning Americans in the region to remain alert. The State Department's security notice said the situation could escalate unpredictably and warned that commercial flights could be cancelled and airspace could be closed with little notice.
The latest escalation is also placing additional pressure on Gulf states that have sought to avoid becoming direct participants in the U.S.-Iran confrontation. Countries including Saudi Arabia and other U.S. partners have already faced attacks and disruptions linked to the wider conflict.
The situation has also complicated efforts to restore negotiations. The United States and Iran previously reached an interim ceasefire in June, but the arrangement collapsed the following month. Neither side has so far demonstrated a willingness to make the major concessions required for a lasting settlement, according to Reuters.
The coming week could bring further diplomatic activity as world leaders gather in New York for the United Nations General Assembly. Pezeshkian's expected appearance at the UN could provide an opportunity for diplomatic contacts, particularly as Trump has said he remains willing to meet with the Iranian president. However, the continuing exchange of threats and military action means that the prospects for negotiations remain uncertain.
For the moment, Iran's warning represents another escalation in the public confrontation between Tehran and Washington. Any new attack involving U.S. forces, Iran or their regional partners could widen the conflict further, with potential consequences extending beyond the battlefield to oil supplies, shipping routes, air travel and economies across the Middle East and the wider global economy.