Tension across the Middle East has surged into a dangerous new phase after Iran issued an alarming warning to employees working in companies linked to the United States and Israel, urging them to immediately abandon their workplaces or risk being caught in what officials described as an impending and potentially devastating response.
In a chilling message posted on X, Seyed Majid Moosavi, the Aerospace Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, declared that Iran’s retaliation would go beyond previous confrontations, signaling a possible shift from calculated responses to broader and more aggressive military actions.
“You tested us once before; the world saw again that you yourselves started playing with fire and attacking infrastructure,” Moosavi wrote, referencing recent attacks on Iranian industrial and production facilities reportedly linked to foreign intelligence operations.
But the most alarming part of his message came in what analysts describe as a rare and explicit pre-strike civilian warning.
“This time, the equation will no longer be an eye for an eye; wait and see! Employees of industrial companies associated with the Americans and the Zionist regime should quickly leave their workplaces to avoid endangering their lives,” he warned.
The statement immediately triggered concern among diplomatic and intelligence circles, as such warnings often precede retaliatory operations by the IRGC, particularly against strategic infrastructure, defense facilities, or companies suspected of supporting foreign intelligence or military operations.
The development follows a series of reported sabotage operations targeting Iranian industrial facilities in recent weeks — incidents Tehran has repeatedly blamed on covert operations by the United States and Israel.
Although Iranian officials have not publicly identified the specific companies or industrial sites considered at risk, Moosavi’s comments suggest that sectors tied to aerospace, defense, energy, and advanced manufacturing may be classified as high-risk zones in the coming days.
The situation escalated further after the IRGC issued an additional warning urging civilians to vacate areas hosting United States forces, stating that Iranian forces are “duty-bound” to target American troops wherever they are located.
According to a statement released by the IRGC’s public relations office and carried by Tasnim News Agency, residents were advised to immediately leave areas near U.S. military positions to avoid being caught in potential confrontations.
“We strongly recommend that you immediately leave areas where US forces are stationed so that you are not harmed,” the statement warned.
The rhetoric intensified even more when Ebrahim Zolfaghari, spokesman for Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, issued a controversial appeal to civilians across the Middle East, urging them to report alleged hiding locations of American troops.
“Given that American bases in the Middle East have been destroyed, Commanders and Soldiers have fled and taken refuge in hideouts outside the bases. We are looking for them,” Zolfaghari stated in remarks published by Iran’s state broadcasting corporation.
The appeal, which called on civilians to assist Iranian forces, marked a dramatic escalation, blurring the lines between conventional military engagement and broader regional mobilization.
Meanwhile, the United States Government issued its own emergency advisory to American citizens in Iran, urging them to stockpile essential supplies and prepare for possible emergency scenarios, including disruptions, evacuations, or military escalation.
The developments have heightened fears of a wider regional confrontation involving Iran, the United States, and Israel, with analysts warning that the simultaneous warnings to workers, civilians, and military personnel suggest Iran may be preparing for multi-layered retaliation.
Security experts also note that the IRGC’s emphasis on aerospace and defense capabilities indicates potential use of drones, missile systems, or cyber-operations targeting strategic infrastructure linked to Western interests.
As tensions deepen, diplomatic silence from Washington and Tel Aviv has further fueled speculation that behind-the-scenes military positioning may already be underway.
With civilians now being urged to flee workplaces, report troop locations, and prepare for emergency conditions, the Middle East once again appears to be standing at the edge of a dangerous confrontation — one that could reshape the region’s fragile balance of power within days.