Upon the overnight major US attack on Iran's key oil hub of Kharg island, here's what Iran's military is threatening to do by way of response and escalation - which was also entirely predictable:
"If Iran’s oil, economic, or energy infrastructure is attacked, we will immediately destroy energy and economic infrastructure across the region belonging to companies with American shareholders or ties to the U.S." --IRGC spox
Iran continues launching widespread missile and drone attacks on Israel and neighboring Gulf Arab states and has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has vowed that any US site or any country hosting it will feel pain. "This war proved one thing quite clearly: American bases in our region do not protect anyone – they are a threat," he wrote on X. "America sacrifices everyone for Israel and does not care about anyone but Israel."
He added, "Anyone clothed by the US is literally NAKED!" And in fact this retaliation is already in progress on Saturday.
A missile struck a helipad inside the US Embassy compound in Baghdad, and debris from an intercepted Iranian drone hit an oil facility in the United Arab Emirates on Saturday.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has informed the United Arab Emirates that US “hideouts” are “legitimate targets” after the US struck Iran’s Kharg island. --Al Jazeera
Associated Press images meanwhile showed a column of smoke rising over the embassy compound in the Iraqi capital and a fire at the Fujairah port, offering confirmation.
President Trump had said late Friday that the US military "obliterated" targets on Iran’s Kharg Island, home to the primary terminal handling the country's oil exports.
Additionally, an American official said 2,500 additional Marines and an amphibious assault ship are heading to the Middle East - though it remains unclear on if they will actually enter the strait, or what their mission will ultimately be.
But 'mission creep' is already happening at rapid pace, as the White House refuses to publicize an exit plan or offramp (if there even is one).