An Iranian military spokesperson has warned the US and Zionists they "will pay the price," claiming the destruction of 112 drones and missile strikes on Israeli infrastructure and American bases as part of "Operation True Promise 4."
Iran Vows Retaliation Against US and 'Zionists'
In a significant escalation of regional tensions, Ebrahim Zolfaghari, the Spokesperson of Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, issued a televised address on Saturday, warning that "America and the Zionists will pay the price for every single drop of unjustly shed blood and the compensation for the damages inflicted."
Claims Interception of US Drones
Zolfaghari noted that, in line with the "operations of the defenders of the country's sky, two MQ-9 drones in Firuzabad and Bandar Abbas and another aircraft in the sky of Tabriz were intercepted and destroyed by the Sepah's air defense systems."
According to the spokesperson, the "total number of drones destroyed up to this moment has reached 112 aircraft of various types of combat, reconnaissance, and suicide drones."
'Operation True Promise 4' Targets Israeli and US Assets
The military official linked these defensive measures to broader offensive actions, stating that the "brave warriors of the Army of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Aerospace and Naval Forces of Sepah and Hezbollah carried out the 45th wave of Operation True Promise 4" under the holy code "'Ya Saheb al-Zaman, may God hasten his relief'" following the "astonishing presence of the people in the International Quds Day march."
During the address, Zolfaghari confirmed that "'Kheibar-Shekan' solid-fuel precision missiles and offensive drones were sent in large and effective numbers towards enemy targets." He emphasised that the "destruction of the northern command infrastructures of the occupying Zionists and the gathering place of American forces" served as primary strategic goals, specifically naming targeted centres in "Haifa, Caesarea, settlements of Zariit and Shlomi, as well as the 'Holon' military-industrial complex."
The scope of the operation also extended to regional US assets. The spokesperson claimed that American gathering places, including "'Al Dhafra' and 'Erbil' bases, were identified and hit" following a prior "warning to leave the region."
Second Wave Targets US, Israeli Commanders
Maintaining the momentum of the campaign, a "46th wave of Operation True Promise 4 was also carried out" shortly thereafter, targeting the "centers and forces of the American and Zionist antagonists." Zolfaghari asserted that this specific phase aimed at "hunting down Zionist and American criminal commanders," claiming that "10 hiding and residence points in the occupied territories and 3 gathering and hiding places of Americans in the region were identified and precisely targeted."
These precision strikes reportedly included "seven points in Tel Aviv, two points in Rishon LeZion, and one point in Shoham," as well as US commander locations at the "'King Sultan', 'Victoria', and 'Erbil' bases."
IRGC Unveils Underground Drone Arsenal
نمایش بخشی از قدرت پهپادی سپاه پاسداران ذیل تصویری از آیت الله سید مجتبی خامنهای ▪️سپاه پاسداران انقلاب اسلامی مجموعهای از پهپادهای خود را در یک تونل بزرگ به نمایش میگذارد.#پهپاد #سپاه #رهبرانقلاب #تونل #سیدمجتبی_خامنه_ای pic.twitter.com/5BEK41j2OU — خبرگزاری مهر (@mehrnews_ir) March 14, 2026
Reinforcing this message of military defiance, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has unveiled a significant display of its aerial capabilities within a vast subterranean arsenal. In a report shared on X by the Mehr News Agency, it was highlighted that "the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps displays a collection of its drones in a large tunnel." This demonstration, titled "Display of a Portion of the IRGC Drone Power Under an Image of Ayatollah Sayyid Mojtaba Khamenei," featured rows of advanced unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) staged within an extensive underground facility.
Vowing that the campaign would persist, Zolfaghari declared that "the doors of hell will not be closed until the destruction of the last child-killing criminal." He swore by the "oppression of our martyrs" to recover the "blood money of every single drop of blood shed unjustly," maintaining that "victory is not but from God, the Mighty, the Wise." (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)