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Akbar Novruz

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Iran has warned of retaliation against the United States and its regional allies, claiming that intelligence indicates preparations are underway for new large-scale military strikes.

Iran's military central command said any further attack would trigger sustained retaliation against US bases and interests across the Middle East. It also warned that countries supporting Washington would be treated as active participants in the conflict.

Amid heightened regional tensions, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf rejected immediate diplomatic talks with Washington and called for a military-first approach.

“We must push the enemy back and deal devastating blows using our full military might before any negotiations with the United States,” Ghalibaf said.

Meanwhile, regional hostilities continued to expand, with the Saudi-led coalition fighting Yemen's Houthis saying it had intercepted a ballistic missile launched toward Riyadh.

The coalition also said its air defenses had thwarted a series of coordinated attacks targeting infrastructure and civilian areas in several Saudi locations, including Bish, Taif, Farasan and the Red Sea port city of Yanbu.

IRGC claims US drone shot down over Strait of Hormuz

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed that its Aerospace Force intercepted and destroyed a US MQ-1 unmanned aerial vehicle over the Strait of Hormuz.

According to a statement issued by the IRGC Public Relations Office, the drone was tracked and brought down by what it described as a newly deployed indigenous air defense system operating within Iran's integrated air defense network.

“Moments ago, another MQ-1 drone belonging to the US terrorist military was intercepted and destroyed over the skies of the Strait of Hormuz by the advanced air defense fire of the IRGC Aerospace Force,” the statement claimed.

The IRGC also highlighted that the US Air Force and Navy formally retired the MQ-1 Predator series several years ago, replacing it with the larger MQ-9 Reaper.

Iranian military officials alleged, however, that the Pentagon had been forced to return older MQ-1 aircraft to active regional service because of heavy US equipment losses during the conflict.

The IRGC claimed that the redeployment of the legacy drones was necess