Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has urged residents in the Gulf countries hosting American troops to stay away at least 500 metres from US military facilities, warning that such locations could become targets as tensions in the region continue to escalate, according to the Associated Press.
The warning comes as the Iran-US conflict intensifies, with Iran's Health Ministry reporting that 55 people have been killed and more than 600 wounded in recent weeks.
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Iranian state television broadcast a statement from the IRGC asking people living near US military installations to remain at least 500 metres away from bases, accommodation facilities and other locations used by American personnel. The statement also called on people to report the locations of US troops to the IRGC, the AP reported.
The warning came hours after the US military said it had completed its 13th consecutive night of strikes against Iran. Soon afterwards, explosions were reported near a military base hosting US forces in northern Iraq, while air raid sirens sounded in Bahrain, raising fears of a further widening of the conflict, according to AP.
The confrontation has intensified over the past week, with the United States carrying out repeated strikes on Iranian targets, while Tehran has targeted shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and attacked US assets and allies across the region.
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The Strait of Hormuz, a vital choke point for global oil supplies, remains at the centre of the conflict. Any disruption to shipping through the waterway could push crude oil prices sharply higher and disrupt global energy markets.
Adding to supply concerns, Iran-backed Houthi rebels this week targeted two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, following through on threats to disrupt an alternative export route for Gulf crude, AP reported.
Despite mounting casualties and growing economic fallout, there is little sign of an immediate diplomatic breakthrough.
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