Hostilities Between Iran And Israel Were Subdued For Months. Tehran Is Now Threatening To Escalate.

Iran has warned the U.S. that it will target Israel if it attacks a ridge in Lebanon where military members are holed up along with Hezbollah fighters, according to a new report.

The area in question, called the Ali al-Taher ridge, overviews southern Lebanon. Reuters detailed that Hezbollah is believed to have built an underground complex housing a command center and is also holding weapons there. Israel has said the ridge is one of its "primary operational focuses."

Citing officials familiar with the matter, the outlet went on to note that any offensive would catalyze a full-scale Iranian attack on Israel.

An Israeli official also told Reuters that fighters are stuck underground without food or water and there are no members of Iran's revolutionary guard there. A Lebanese source, in turn, said fighters can access the position through the north.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz reacted to the development, saying that such an attack would free the country "from all constraints" and lead the country to "strike all infrastructure — including energy infrastructure — and return Iran to the Stone Age and darkness."

Iran is again escalating attacks against the U.S. in the Strait of Hormuz. Washington forces struck two Iranian tankers on Tuesday, with an official telling Axios that the decision is part of a new "tanker for tanker" strategy that has been approved by President Donald Trump.

The outlet went on to note that the vessels in question were anchored off Iran's coast and north of the blockade that U.S. forces have been imposing. They were part of the about 100 targets hit on Tuesday, which also included air defense sites, radar systems and mine-laying capabilities.

President Donald Trump said on social media that the attacks were taking place, saying they are "in retaliation for the Iranians' failed attempt at adding sea mines to the Strait, which currently has no mines (They have been completely removed or detonated!), and the Iranians shooting eight missiles, all successfully knocked down, at our Military Base in Jordan."

Iran, however, retaliated hours later. Forces the IRGC said they would "tighten the lock" on the Strait of Hormuz.

"Hours ago, in indiscriminate attacks born of desperation, the invading US military bombed several locations along Iran's southern coast, including several civilian sites," reads a passage of the statement. "The IRGC's fighters have begun a response that will make the aggressors regret their actions," it added.

However, U.S. forces said the attack failed as about half of the 25 ballistic missiles launched managed to reach Jordanian airspace. Ten of those were intercepted and three hit the ground without causing casualties. Tehran also launched dozens of drones at Bahrain and Kuwait, but most were intercepted.

"The Iranians have not only lost control of the Strait of Hormuz, they have also lost control over the conflict. They got nothing today," a U.S. official told the outlet.