Iranian state television has instructed citizens on how to survive a nuclear blast, a move that coincides with explicit U.S. threats against buried Iranian nuclear sites and a reported push by Israel for renewed military action.
Iranian state television broadcast detailed civil defense instructions on November 2, telling citizens how to protect themselves in the event of a nuclear explosion. The guidance included avoiding direct eye contact with the blast flash, lying flat on the ground and covering the head and face, sheltering in sturdy buildings away from windows and exterior walls, shutting off air conditioning and ventilation systems, and remaining sheltered for at least 24 hours.
Citizens were also advised to remove contaminated clothing without shaking it, wash exposed skin with lukewarm water and soap, and consume only bottled water and packaged food.
The broadcast came as President Donald Trump publicly reiterated threats against Iran at a rally in Iowa on Sunday, telling supporters: “At some point, we’re going to have to give them the hammer”. Speaking to reporters, Trump specifically named Pickaxe Mountain, a suspected underground nuclear facility, saying: “We still have to take care of, I would say, one or two sites, but we can do that in 10 minutes. You probably could look at Pickaxe Mountain, and you have to take care of that”.
According to Axios, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pressed Trump in a phone call on Saturday to resume strikes on Iran immediately after the U.S. midterm elections on Tuesday . The call was described by an Israeli source as “tough” and by an American source as “direct.” Trump reportedly preferred to allow negotiations to continue, a position that has caused concern for Netanyahu.
Iran responded with explicit warnings. Army spokesman Mohammad Akraminia stated that any renewed U.S. aggression would be met with an “immediate, decisive response on a larger scale than before,” extending beyond West Asia, and that the conflict could “last considerably longer” than the previous round.
Revolutionary Guards spokesman Hossein Mohebbi said: “In a conflict with America, there are no geographical limitations; a vast theatre has been defined for inflicting damage upon the enemy”. Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei instructed military commanders to ensure any threat would be met with an “immediate and effective” response without geographical limitations.
The Wall Street Journal reported that U.S. forces struck Qeshm Island in southern Iran on Monday, the latest in a series of limited strikes in recent weeks that Washington has deliberately kept small to avoid signaling a return to full-scale war. An American official described the strike as “defensive,” responding to Iran firing on a U.S. aircraft, and said it did not mark a resumption of major military operations. Iranian media reported five consecutive explosions on the island.