US officials say next 48 hours critical amid feared Iran retaliation
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US military bases and assets across the Middle East are under heightened alert amid escalating tensions.
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US President Donald Trump speaks from the East Room of the White House in Washington, Saturday, June 21, 2025 (Pool via AP)
The Trump administration is bracing for potential Iranian retaliation in the coming 48 hours, with growing concerns that US assets, domestically or abroad, could be targeted, according to two defense officials and a senior White House official who spoke with NBC News.
While it remains unclear whether any response from Iran will materialize in the US or overseas, the officials say the possibility is being taken seriously.
In a post on Truth Social, US President Donald Trump announced on Sunday at dawn that the United States carried out what he described as a "very successful attack" on three Iranian nuclear facilities: Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan.
On the other hand, Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva warned on Wednesday that Tehran would respond firmly to any direct US involvement in the Israeli occupation’s war on Iran.
Iranian plans already in place
According to two individuals familiar with military planning, Iran already has plans in place to target US bases and assets across the Middle East should the situation escalate.
These plans are reportedly dormant for now, with no current signs of activation. However, tensions have soared since June 13, when "Israel" launched attacks on Iranian targets, sparking fears of regional spillover.
US military bases in the region have been on high alert for several months, but officials say the threat level has risen further since the outset of the Israeli aggression on Iran, prompting Tehran's retaliatory strikes. In addition to Iran’s direct capabilities, concerns also center on its regional allies, which could act independently or in coordination.
"ANY RETALIATION BY IRAN AGAINST THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WILL BE MET WITH FORCE FAR GREATER THAN WHAT WAS WITNESSED TONIGHT. THANK YOU! DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES" pic.twitter.com/vhTb5uNuCB
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) June 22, 2025
US braced for Iranian retaliation weeks ago
Reuters reported earlier this month that the US had reduced the number of personnel at the US embassy in Baghdad, Iraq, although preparations for this move had begun in early June, according to diplomatic sources.
At the time, the United States had authorized military dependents to leave installations across the Middle East due to growing regional security risks, according to US and Iraqi sources cited by Reuters.
On a related note, last week, the US Embassy in "Israel" and its Tel Aviv consulate remained officially closed as both facilities remained under a “shelter in place” order amid ongoing Iranian missile strikes, according to US Ambassador to "Israel" Mike Huckabee.
Iran launched multiple missile salvos on June 16, targeting cities across "Israel" including Tel Aviv and Haifa. A blast near the US Embassy’s Tel Aviv branch caused minor concussive damage to the exterior, but US personnel at both locations were unharmed, according to The Wall Street Journal.
