Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) issued a strong warning on Friday, saying any attack or attempt to strike Iran in the coming days would be met with a severe response. The warning comes as the country prepares for the funeral of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The IRGC stated that any hostile action against Iran would provoke a harsher and more destructive retaliation than before.

The alert follows remarks by Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, who said Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei was a potential assassination target. Iran fears possible attacks during the funeral, which is expected to draw millions of mourners and foreign dignitaries. Reuters footage showed increased security patrols in Tehran, and Iran announced a complete closure of its airspace on Monday.

Former Israeli intelligence officer Danny Citrinowicz told media that Iran is concerned about threats from both air and ground. The country also faces internal risks from Kurdish, Arab, and Baluch separatist groups, as well as the exiled opposition group Mujahideen-e-Khalq, which Tehran accuses of past attacks.