An anonymous U.S. official warned the civilian population of Iran that, in the event of a potential military escalation, the "safest place" is to stay inside their homes and keep away from positions of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), according to statements collected by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty on Friday.
"The safest place for Iranian civilians during periods of high tension is inside their homes," the official warned, accusing the Revolutionary Guard of placing weaponry and command centers in residential neighborhoods, using the population as human shields while regime leaders take refuge in fortified facilities and underground bunkers.
The Islamic regime does not care about the people of Iran, as evidenced by the fact that the regime's leaders and the IRGC use innocent civilians as human shields while they hide, the official stated.
The warning comes at a time of growing uncertainty following the midterm elections on November 3, 2026, in which the Democrats regained control of the Senate and the House of Representatives, delivering a significant blow to the Republican Party of Donald Trump.
In parallel, the U.S. government issued a travel alert for its citizens in the Middle East, warning about the risk of attacks by Iran-backed Houthis and potential Iranian attempts to target U.S. officials in the region.
"Americans currently in the Middle East should exercise heightened vigilance in light of the increased threat of armed attacks," the statement indicated, which also warned of potential flight cancellations and airspace closures.
This very morning, the semi-official Iranian agency Tasnim reported that two missiles struck the island of Qeshm in the Strait of Hormuz, a frequent target of U.S. military operations throughout the conflict. The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) did not immediately confirm whether its forces were involved.
The scenario is set against a conflict that began on February 28, 2026, with Operation Epic Fury, a coordinated offensive by the U.S. and Israel against Iranian nuclear and military facilities. A ceasefire reached in June collapsed in July following new Iranian attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, through which between 20% and 25% of the world's oil passes.
On Friday, Trump gathered his national security team to evaluate options regarding Iran, which included new military strikes, increased sanctions, a maritime blockade, or the continuation of negotiations. In brief statements to reporters, the president said that his team was in talks with representatives from Tehran and that things "are going very well with Iran," without providing further details.
However, before the elections, Trump had threatened that the U.S. might have to "give them the hammer" again if negotiations failed. The talks between both countries are indirect and mediated by Qatar, and the Iranian regime conveyed a proposal to Washington related to its nuclear program that included sanctions relief and compensation for war damages.
The U.S. also offered a reward of 20 million dollars for information related to the Iranian nuclear program, another indication of the maximum pressure Washington continues to exert on the Tehran regime as it considers whether to resume larger-scale military operations.
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