Iran’s armed forces are set to begin a large-scale military exercise dubbed Zolfaghar 1403 on Saturday as tensions with Israel and the United States persist over Tehran’s nuclear program.
The drills, led by the Iranian Army, will span an area from the Makran, in southeastern Iranian coast, to the northern Indian Ocean, covering strategic waters up to the 10-degree latitude.
The Makran coast, which lies along Iran’s border with Pakistan on the Arabian Sea, is a key military and economic zone, home to the country's growing naval infrastructure.
Admiral Habibollah Sayyari, the commander of the exercise, warned that any attack on Iranian interests would not go unanswered. He said, “Any enemy that thinks it can harm our interests on land, in the air, or at sea will certainly suffer great damage.”
He added that the Zolfaghar 1403 exercise will demonstrate Iran’s latest military capabilities, showcasing the strength of ground forces, air defense, strategic naval forces, and the Joint Air Defense Headquarters.
Sayyari’s remarks come amid reports that Israel is considering launching an attack on Iranian nuclear sites as early as the first half of this year.
According to The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post, US intelligence findings from last month indicate that Israel views Iran as vulnerable following the October 26 Israeli air strike, which reportedly knocked out large portions of Iran’s air defenses. The reports also suggest that Israel perceives increased US willingness to support military action, particularly with President Donald Trump back in the White House.
During a recent visit to Washington, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israeli strikes had "crippled Iran's air defenses."
While Zolfaghar 1403 is an Army-led exercise, Iran has also recently conducted joint drills between the Iranian Army and the IRGC, focusing on defending key nuclear sites such as Natanz and Fordow.
The exercises, which are set to continue until mid-March, come after Iran unveiled the Zagros, its first signals intelligence (SIGINT) vessel for electronic surveillance. Additionally, Iran has expanded its drone fleet, receiving 1,000 new drones to bolster its capabilities.
As Iran ramps up its military posture, US Central Command (CENTCOM) and the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) are closely coordinating on regional security.
On Wednesday, CENTCOM Commander Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla hosted IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi at headquarters in Tampa, Florida, where they discussed Iran’s growing influence along with the ceasefire in Gaza, hostilities in Lebanon, and the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen. The CENTCOM statement, published on Thursday, reaffirmed the deep US-Israel military partnership as both countries assess Tehran’s actions in the region.
Last month, 110,000 paramilitary Basij forces took part in a large-scale IRGC drill aimed at preparing for potential security threats in Tehran.
With Iran ramping up military activities across multiple fronts, the region remains on high alert as the country signals its readiness to counter any external threats. Iranian military commanders have been making frequent statements about their military capabilities, and recently have renewed direct threats against Israel.