In a worrying development that heralds the escalation of Iranian attacks, Iran issued a clear ultimatum that included a threat to strike civilian targets within several Arab countries, paving the way for the region to enter a new phase of tension that goes beyond the scope of traditional military confrontations.
Iran announced the classification of a number of important bridges in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain as “closed military zones” starting at 23:00 Tehran time until later notice, calling on the people and residents to evacuate them immediately.
The warning included the land road linking Riyadh and Jeddah in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the King Fahd Causeway linking Bahrain to the Kingdom, in addition to the Sheikh Zayed Bridge in Abu Dhabi, with a decisive emphasis on the necessity of evacuating these sites and refraining from walking in them, in order to avoid threatening lives.
The statement also included a warning directed specifically to the Palestinians living in Jaffa (Tel Aviv), calling on them to stay away from certain places, including “Railway Bridge No. 8 on Route 431” and “Yarkon Railway Bridge,” with an emphasis on completely refraining from being present or moving in these areas.
This warning includes indicators of escalation that we have not seen before, as it indicates a shift in Iranian threats from direct military strikes to including civilian facilities and vital infrastructure on the list of targets, within the framework of mutual pressure with the United States and its allies.
