Access to the Souda Bay Naval Base has been sealed following threats issued by Iran against every American facility.

Emergency security measures were taken at the Souda Bay Naval Base following a statement by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps after the U.S.–Israeli attack, declaring that all American bases, assets, and interests throughout the region are considered legitimate targets for the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Souda Bay hosts U.S. air and naval forces, along with personnel, equipment, offices, and ammunition, and is of major strategic importance, as from there the Americans can control areas of the Middle East, the Eastern Mediterranean, the Black Sea, and the Red Sea.

The statement by the Revolutionary Guards reads as follows:

“As we had announced, in response to the shameless aggression of the United States and the Zionist regime against Islamic Iran, all occupied territories and criminal American bases in the region were struck by crushing Iranian missile attacks, and this operation will continue relentlessly until the enemy is definitively defeated.

Given the aggression of the American military and the Zionist regime against Islamic Iran, while targeting the occupied territories (i.e. Israel), all American bases, assets, and interests throughout the region are considered legitimate targets for the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

May the heroic and brave nation of the Islamic Republic of Iran preserve its peace. The armed forces will defend the country, the nation, and national interests decisively and steadfastly.”