Iran on Saturday vowed a “decisive response” following coordinated strikes by the United States and Israel, escalating tensions even as diplomatic talks on Tehran’s nuclear programme were ongoing.

In a statement, Iran’s foreign ministry said the country’s armed forces were fully prepared to defend the nation, stressing that Tehran had taken “every necessary step to prevent war.”

“Just as we were ready for negotiations, we are now more prepared than ever to defend the Iranian nation,” the ministry said, warning that the attackers would face firm retaliation.

Shortly after, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced that it had launched a first wave of missile and drone attacks against Israel.

“The first wave of widespread missile and drone attacks by the Islamic Republic of Iran against the occupied territories has begun,” the IRGC said, using its term for Israel.

As the regional fallout widened, a separate airstrike hit an Iraqi military base housing a pro-Iran armed group, causing multiple casualties, Iraqi security sources said.

The strike targeted the Jurf al-Sakher base, also known as Jurf al-Nasr, in southern Iraq. The facility belongs to the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), also called Hashed al-Shaabi, but largely hosts the powerful pro-Iran faction Kataeb Hezbollah.

A source within Kataeb Hezbollah said at least two of its fighters were killed and five others wounded in what it described as “aggression” against the base. Iraqi authorities later confirmed two deaths and several injuries.

Iraq’s government security media cell said the area was struck by several air raids around midday, resulting in casualties and damage to the facility.

The PMF confirmed the attack but said it was not yet clear whether the strikes were carried out by US or Israeli forces.

The escalation follows recent threats by US President Donald Trump, who vowed to “annihilate” Iran’s naval and missile capabilities amid rising hostilities.

Kataeb Hezbollah, which operates several brigades within the PMF and is considered part of Iran’s so-called “axis of resistance,” had earlier warned Washington of “immense losses” should a wider regional war erupt, urging its fighters to prepare for a prolonged conflict.

The latest exchanges have heightened fears of a broader confrontation across the Middle East, as military action accelerates alongside stalled diplomatic efforts.