Mohammad Marandi, a figure close to the Iranian regime and a former senior adviser to supreme leader Ali Khamenei, warned on Saturday that Gulf states and Israel could face devastating attacks if Iran’s civilian infrastructure is struck.
“Based on statements by the Trump administration, it appears entirely possible that after months of barbaric threats, tonight will be the last night of normality in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and perhaps Oman as well,” Marandi wrote on X/Twitter.
Based on statements from the Trump regime, it seems quite possible that after months of barbaric threats, tonight will be the last night of normality in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, the UAE, and possibly Oman. If strikes are carried out against Iran's civilian…
— Seyed Mohammad Marandi (@s_m_marandi) August 1, 2026
“If attacks are carried out against Iran’s civilian infrastructure, the critical infrastructure of these partner regimes, alongside that of the Zionist regime and perhaps Jordan as well, will be destroyed,” he continued. “People in these regimes must immediately prepare to evacuate.”
Meanwhile, an Israeli official told CBS that “Israel is not aware of a decision to fully resume military activity, and has not been asked to join any military action against Iran.”
Earlier on Saturday, The Washington Post reported that US European Command chief Gen. Alexus Grynkewich privately warned the Pentagon this week that he did not have enough naval forces available to continue defending Israel against Iranian ballistic missiles.
US military warns it lacks sufficient forces to defend Israel from missiles
According to the report, which cited US officials, Grynkewich sent a written message to senior Pentagon officials warning that unless he received an additional US Navy destroyer, he would have to prioritize defending the United States homeland over continuing to protect Israel from missile attacks.
The US Navy is under particularly heavy strain after the Trump administration ordered a blockade of Iranian ports in response to Tehran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz, according to the report. The confrontation disrupted the movement of Middle Eastern oil and other goods through the strait and shook the global economy.
The report also noted that US Navy destroyers stationed in the eastern Mediterranean have served for years as part of Israel’s defensive network. The vessels, equipped with advanced radar systems and a range of missiles, have intercepted missiles launched toward Israel from both Iran and the Houthis.
US Embassy issues travel advisory recommendations for Middle East
During the day, the US Embassy also updated its travel advisory, recommending that US citizens in Israel consider leaving due to rising tensions or be prepared to depart if an escalation occurs.
US embassies in Jordan, Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq issued similar warnings.
At the same time, Ali Abdollahi, commander of the Iranian military’s Khatam al-Anbiya headquarters, issued a harsh message to countries in the region and warned them against cooperating with the US.
He accused Washington of “working at an accelerating pace to fan the flames of regional war” and of exploiting the “capital, infrastructure, and strategic resources” of regional countries to serve as a “shield for the exhausted US military” and strengthen Israel.
The senior Iranian official added that Muslim countries must reconsider their cooperation with the US.
“Any country that turns itself into a shield for the criminal and aggressive United States will burn in the fire of war,” he said.