Iran’s armed forces have threatened to target regional ports if its own ports were attacked during the war with Israel and the United States, AFP reports citing state TV.

“If our ports and docks are threatened, all ports and docks in the region will be our legitimate targets,” armed forces spokesman Abolfazl Shekarchi has said, according to state TV.

He has also warned that the armed forces “will carry out a heavier operation than what we have done so far” if Iranian ports come under attack.

“We call on the countries of the region to expel the Americans from their lands,” he added.