Revolutionary Guards: Any Ground Attack on Iran Will Be Met with a Response That Breaks All Red Lines

Al-Akhbar reported details from a frontline commander in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' navy about events at sea since the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, discussing the readiness level of Iranian forces for upcoming scenarios, particularly the possibility of renewed war or a U.S. attempt to forcibly reopen Hormuz and seize Iranian islands.

According to the newspaper, the frontline commander recalled the initial hours following the decision to close the Strait of Hormuz, stating: "We had been prepared to close the strait for years. Days before the assassination of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, we were at maximum alert, having conducted drills simulating the closure of the strait and defending the islands. When the commander of the Revolutionary Guards' naval force, martyr Ali Reza Tavakkoli, issued the closure order, we transitioned from alert status to offensive posture."

He added: "We informed all ships via Channel 16 on radio communication devices—the global maritime public communication channel—of the strait closure decision, warning that any vessel attempting to pass would be targeted without hesitation." He noted that many initially did not take the Iranian warning seriously, "but when the first missile was fired minutes after the closure decision, shock spread among vessels passing through the strait."

The commander said several Gulf states contacted Iran the same day seeking permission for their ships to pass, but received a reply of "no discussion, no exception." According to his account, the UAE was the first to reach out, later sending a delegation to Iran in the early days of the war to request continued export of Iranian vegetables.

"Given that halting this export would have severely harmed the Emirati population, and since we do not oppose the people of the UAE or innocent civilians in general, Iran agreed to allow vegetable exports to continue," he noted, adding that shipments persisted even during peak naval clashes and attacks on American bases in the UAE.

Regarding naval combat operations, the frontline commander stated that Iranian forces "did not engage in direct naval combat with Americans because they never entered the Strait of Hormuz," explaining that the U.S. military relied solely on air power—missiles and drones.

He added that "their helicopters continuously patrol over the Persian Gulf region."

On the possibility of renewed war, the commander said: "I expect war to return between us and them in the coming period, as America does not abide by promises or agreements."

He also mentioned repeated strikes on Bandar Abbas Air Base, as well as frequent targeting of a civilian communications tower in the Sirik area, which he believes indicates "a problem with American intelligence," asking: "Why do they keep hitting the same targets? Because they lack accurate information about our movements and positions."

On U.S. President Donald Trump’s statements about "destroying" Iran’s naval forces, the commander said: "America has extensive surveillance capabilities over the Gulf waters through its aerial intelligence dominance. But from the first day of the war until today, our maritime patrols have never stopped monitoring violating vessels."

He clarified that Iranian forces cannot rely solely on radar to track events at sea, adding: "We conduct continuous maritime patrols to update our intelligence."

On the possibility of a U.S. operation to seize Iranian islands and forcibly open the Strait of Hormuz, the commander dismissed the success of such a plan, saying: "The U.S. military cannot establish a lasting presence on Iranian islands, even if it dares launch a land attack. Perhaps it could carry out a Marine Corps assault and then immediately withdraw, but remaining on the islands is impossible."

He added: "Suppose they occupy our islands and manage to hold them; then those islands will become their graves. Let America come by land and see with their own eyes the consequence of this folly."

He pointed out that the scenario of a land assault on the islands is not new in Iranian military planning, dating back, according to him, to 1995, when the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei visited the Persian Gulf to oversee the naval exercises named "Ashura."

He emphasized that since then, "the military leadership has placed the possibility of a land attack on the islands at the top of its priorities, conducting annual drills based on updated defensive and offensive plans adapted to field conditions," adding: "We are talking about 31 years of constant readiness."

The commander warned that Iran’s response to any attempt to seize the islands "will exceed all expectations," stating: "In addition to focusing on reclaiming the islands, there will be an unprecedented response that breaks every previous red line. Expect a historic retaliation if this attack begins. No target in our strike list will be spared, no matter how small or large."

According to the commander, island defense plans do not rely solely on regular military forces, saying: "We derive the security of our islands from their people. For example, on Hormuz Island, special forces are deployed, but a large portion of the island’s security is provided by volunteers from its own residents."

He added that families who fled Hormuz after the war began later returned to join the defense efforts, noting that the number of volunteers far exceeds actual needs, saying: "If we asked for 100 people for a specific mission right now, 300 would volunteer."

He also spoke of Iranians from various regions expressing willingness to carry out "suicide missions" against U.S. forces, recounting that a journalist from Tehran told him: 'Give me a fast boat to confront American ships—even if I don’t return from the encounter.'

Yet the commander stressed that Iranian forces currently "do not need suicide operations," given their existing military capabilities, adding: "These morale levels are strong within our forces and our people. Even if we assume that one day the Americans destroy all our military capabilities and we have no bullets left, then our main struggle would begin as a suicide campaign."

The frontline commander concluded his interview with Al-Akhbar by affirming that opening the Strait of Hormuz "will only happen by decision of the supreme leadership," saying: "Even if we all die, the people of southern Iran will resist the American presence in the region, close the strait themselves, and keep it closed until Supreme Leader Morteza Khamenei issues a new order to reopen it."