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Tehran: The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has asserted that Iran is entirely equipped for a "prolonged war" and is preparing to debut a fresh category of strategic armaments that have "not yet been seen on the battlefield," as reported by Iranian state broadcaster Press TV.

Brigadier General Ali Mohammad Naeini, speaking on behalf of the IRGC, confirmed that the nation is ready for a prolonged confrontation aimed at "punishing the aggressor." He highlighted that the military operations carried out during the "True Promise 4 Operation" to date have "only utilised a fraction of Iran's actual capabilities."

The spokesperson further warned that "Iran's new initiatives and weapons are on the way," noting that these advanced systems "have not yet been deployed on a large scale." According to details shared by the Tehran-based media outlet, the General cautioned that "the enemy should expect painful blows in every upcoming operational wave."

This high-level declaration occurred simultaneously with the launch of Khayber missiles towards Tel Aviv. These specific strikes were noted for having "demonstrated a high degree of precision" in their execution, signalling a potential shift in the scale of the ongoing regional tensions.

In response to these escalating threats, United States Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has warned Iran against miscalculating Washington's resolve, asserting that they are prepared to continue military operations decisively. Speaking during a press conference at US Central Command on Thursday, Hegseth said Iran's leadership is mistaken if it believes the US cannot sustain the ongoing military campaign. 

"Iran is hoping that we cannot sustain this, which is a really bad miscalculation for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Iran," he said. "Our commitment to our mission objectives only increases as our advantages continue to increase... We have only just begun to fight and fight decisively," Hegseth added, indicating that Washington is prepared for a prolonged confrontation if necessary.

The US defence chief also dismissed concerns about a possible influx of refugees to the United States due to the expanding conflict in the Middle East, stating, "I think it's safe to say there's no plan for a wave of new Middle Eastern refugees to the United States of America."

His remarks come amid escalating tensions in West Asia after a joint US-Israel military strike on February 28 on Iranian territory resulted in the death of its Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and other senior figures, prompting a fierce response from Tehran.

In retaliation, Iran launched waves of drone and missile attacks targeting American military bases across multiple Arab countries as the conflict entered its sixth day. Simultaneously, Israel is continuing its strikes on Tehran and widening the conflict to Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah.

In a post on X, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) also said it has eliminated a senior Hezbollah commander, Zaid Ali Jumaa, in Beirut, accusing him of overseeing large-scale rocket and missile attacks against Israel from southern Lebanon.
The IDF stated that Jumaa served as the head of Hezbollah's artillery operations in southern Lebanon and played a key role in directing attacks targeting Israeli territory.

"ELIMINATED: Hezbollah firepower management commander Zaid Ali Jumaa in Beirut. Jumaa served as Hezbollah's head of artillery in southern Lebanon and was responsible for launching thousands of rockets, missiles, and UAVs from Lebanon toward Israel," the IDF said in its post.

According to the Israeli military, Jumaa also had a history of involvement in earlier attacks against Israeli forces. "He also led the 2015 anti-tank missile attack in Mount Dov that killed an IDF officer and soldier," the post added.