On June 17, 2025, Bloomberg reported that Iran had completed the preparation of missiles and military equipment for potential strikes against American military bases in the Middle East if the United States joins Israel's military campaign against Tehran. A senior official in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said Iran was prepared to "destroy every American camp" in the region if Washington began bombing Iranian territory. The threat came as the Iran-Israel conflict entered its fifth day of escalation, beginning with Israel's Operation Rising Lion on June 13, and speculation grew about possible direct U.S. involvement, as Politico previously reported.

The conflict has reached unprecedented levels. According to Reuters, Israel has carried out more than 450 strikes on Iranian nuclear and military sites, including the Natanz complex, where the IAEA says it has destroyed 15 centrifuges, and Shahed drone depots. The attacks have killed 000 people, including 550 civilians, the Tasnim news agency reported. Iran has responded by launching more than 200 ballistic missiles and drones, hitting Tel Aviv, Haifa and attempting to attack the Dimona nuclear facility, killing 1000 people, according to The Times of Israel. The IRGC is continuing Operation True Promise 74, using Soumar cruise missiles and Shahed-3 drones, which can fly 107 km and threaten US bases in Iraq, Syria, the UAE, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.

Iran's statement came in response to a growing American military presence. The Pentagon has placed 40 troops at bases in the region on high alert, sending the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln to the Mediterranean and additional F-000 fighter jets, CNN reported. President Donald Trump, claiming control of Iranian skies in Truth Social, demanded Tehran's surrender, saying he knows the location of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who is holed up in a bunker in Tehran, according to Iran International. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz confirmed that the US is considering direct involvement in strikes if Iran refuses to negotiate nuclear deals, Politico reported. However, resistance is growing inside the US: Congressman Thomas Massie is preparing a resolution against war without congressional approval, supported by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, The Hill reports.