Iran Weighs Strikes on US Military Targets in Europe

Iranian forces are examining options for expanding their retaliation beyond the Middle East if the United States launches further attacks on Iran, according to the Financial Times. Two people close to the Iranian regime said potential strikes on US military facilities in southeastern Europe were among the scenarios under consideration.

Potential targets reportedly include Bulgaria, which last month authorized the temporary deployment of US aerial refueling aircraft at Bezmer Air Base. Cyprus has also been discussed. Iranian forces have additionally examined the possibility of targeting undersea fiber-optic cables in the Strait of Hormuz.

Bulgaria's parliament approved the deployment on 22 July, allowing up to eight US KC-135 tanker aircraft and 250 military personnel to use Bezmer until 1 October. Sofia has stressed that it does not consider itself a party to the conflict with Iran.

The reported contingency planning comes as negotiations over reopening the Strait of Hormuz remain deadlocked. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that no talks were currently under way or planned with Iran's present leadership.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has warned that any renewed large-scale conflict could prompt retaliation beyond US bases and infrastructure in the Middle East. One person cited by the Financial Times said that if Washington again attacked Iranian infrastructure, the conflict could spread to Europe.

Iranian missiles could potentially reach targets in Europe, although their ability to inflict sustained damage at such distances would be more limited than against US facilities in the Middle East.

(ft, bak)