Iran Claims It Can Destroy U.S. Bases Within Minutes

Iran ratcheted up tensions with Israel and the United States on Wednesday, declaring that the Islamic Republic could destroy all American military bases and strike anywhere in Israel within minutes of an attack on Iranian soil. The threat comes at a time when America has built up an unprecedented amount of firepower in the Persian Gulf and as for an Israeli preemptive strike the question seems to be when not if.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have been conducting war games in central Iran which have included firing ballistic missiles at mock ups of American military bases.

Israel and the Unites States have both said a military action against Iran is on the table if sanctions and diplomacy don’t stop Iran from pursuing its nuclear development program. Iran says their nuclear program is peaceful and meant to generate electricity and medical research. The West suspects Iran of developing nuclear weapons.

The Fars news agency quoted Gen. Ami Ali Hajizadeh of the Revolutionary Guards said all U.S bases and Israel are in range of Iranian missiles. He said,

“Measures have been taken so that we could destroy all these bases in the early minutes of an attack,”

Israeli officials refused to comment. There was no immediate comment from Washington.

The U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet is based in Bahrain, an island in the Gulf about 120 miles from Iran. Iran has missiles very capable of striking such short distances. Tuesday Iran announced it had test fired a large variety of missiles including the Shahab-3 missile which has a range of 1,200 miles and reach all of Israel and American military bases in southern Europe.