Iran Warns Any US Attack Will Be Treated as ‘All-Out War

The Chronify

January 24, 2026

A senior Iranian official said Tehran will not distinguish between limited or large-scale attacks by the United States. The warning comes as US warships and fighter aircraft move toward the Middle East, placing Iran’s military on high alert.

Iran has warned that any attack by the United States would be treated as an “all-out war”, regardless of its scale or nature, as American military assets head toward the Middle East.

Speaking on condition of anonymity on Friday, a senior Iranian official said Iran’s armed forces have been placed on the highest level of alert amid the deployment of US naval and air forces to the region.

“This military buildup - we hope it is not intended for real confrontation - but our military is ready for the worst-case scenario,” the official said. “That is why everything is on high alert in Iran.”

The official stressed that Tehran would not differentiate between the type of strike launched against it.
“This time, we will treat any attack - limited, unlimited, surgical, kinetic, whatever they call it - as an all-out war against us,” he said.

He added that Iran would respond with maximum force if attacked.
“And we will respond in the hardest way possible to settle this,” the official warned.

The statement comes as United States warships, including an aircraft carrier strike group, destroyers and fighter aircraft, are scheduled to arrive in the Middle East in the coming days, raising fears of a broader regional escalation.